Thorncloud's Prophecy
by mirvly
Summary: Thorncloud, a newly seasoned warrior of SnowClan, is given a mysterious prophecy from StarClan by a cat she doesn't recognize. As if her dream was confusing enough, she soon realizes another cat from an enemy clan has been sent the same prophecy. In order to uncover the mystery of the prophecy, Thorncloud must delve into her own past if she wants to save the four clans.
1. Chapter 1 & 2

**Chapter 1**

The night of the Gathering was dark and grey. Wisps of the clouds threatened to cover the moon. Several members of the throng of cats that marched through the forest looked up at the sky warily, wondering if StarClan was on their side.

It was the beginning of newleaf, and life sprung around them from the underbrush, alive and running even this late. The full moon was all they had to light their path.

Thorncloud crept along at the back of the group. It was her first night attending the Gathering as a full warrior. Gone were the days of her apprentice training; now, she truly felt at peace in the forest. It took all her willpower not to run ahead full speed. She trotted at a light pace beside Copperfur, her former mentor.

Thorncloud noted how he glanced over at her every few moments, the ghost of a smile twitching behind his whiskers.

"What are you looking at?" she teased.

Copperfur opened his mouth to reply, but another voice sounded from Thorncloud's left. "Your ugly face!" came the voice, a playful growl. A bundle of fur bumped her flank, and then a brown tabby pelt came into view.

"That's funny, Tigerfang," Thorncloud meowed coolly, "but I don't remember asking you."

"While you're mooning over Copperbutt, we're falling behind," Tigerfang sniffed, and bounded ahead towards the front of the group. "At your pace, we won't make the Gathering at all!"

Thorncloud narrowed her eyes, watching Tigerfang go. She glanced over at Copperfur, ears twitching with embarrassment. "I wasn't mooning over you," she muttered.

"I know," Copperfur said. "She says whatever she can to cause the most trouble. Your sister's tongue is nearly as sharp as her teeth."

It was true. Ever since Thorncloud and Tigerfang had been kits in the nursery, Tigerfang was causing trouble. As a young, fretful apprentice, Thorncloud was always worried about getting into trouble because of her sister. Tigerfang followed the warrior code, but she had a certain air of nonchalance that made Thorncloud wonder at how she ever finished her training.

"Nearly there," Copperfur said.

Thorncloud looked around. It was true–they were nearing Fourtrees. The group of cats that were travelling to the Gathering that night was fairly small. Besides Thorncloud, Copperfur and Tigerfang, there was also the SnowClan leader Rainstar, of course, as well as her deputy Blizzardpelt, his apprentice Twigpaw, two elders Crowpelt and Pinetail, and Berryleaf, another warrior. Normally there might be a few more cats, but it had been a rough leaf-bare, and SnowClan was still recovering from losing kits to the weather. Still, they had to appear strong in front of the other clans.

At the top of the ravine, Rainstar pause, letting the other cats fall in behind her. Thorncloud sat behind Blizzardpelt, vibrating with anticipation. The scents of other clans filled her nose; RainClan and StormClan were already waiting below.

With a flick of her ears, Rainstar made the signal for SnowClan to descend to the clearing. Thorncloud rushed down the slope, her clanmates around her, and landed on the soft grass at the base of the Great Rock.

The Great Rock stood below four massive trees that grew up from the bottom of the ravine. Here was where the clans met at every full moon under a truce to discuss clan matters. Thorncloud separated from Copperfur with a kind look, and dispersed to talk with the other clans.

She found a space to sit beside two unfamiliar RainClan cats who were talking to a StormClan apprentice and warrior. "Newleaf is promising this year," the StormClan warrior was saying as she arrived. He was a white tom with ginger accents around his muzzle, ears and paws. "Our side of the forest is already filled with prey." He puffed his chest out proudly.

"It is nice to have the Gathering held on such a warm night," one of the RainClan cats agreed. He was almost the mirror of the StormClan cat, except with grey inside of ginger on his paws, and he stood much larger. "I hear StormClan has been granted with a new leader this newleaf. Is this true, Flameclaw?"

The tom, Flameclaw, twitched his orange ears irritably. "You'll find out soon enough, Pebblefoot. If CloudClan would only hurry up…"

"The winds are pushing up into the uplands tonight," said the other RainClan cat, a handsome tom whose black nose was startling against his white fur. "It could be that CloudClan is taking longer to arrive due to the resistance." Thorncloud realized that this was Junipernose, the RainClan medicine cat. She had heard of him before, but never met him formally.

The StormClan apprentice shuffled his paws and shivered as a breeze swept through Fourtrees. "I'm cold," he whined quietly to Flameclaw.

Flameclaw cuffed him around the ear. "Don't complain, Shadowpaw," he ordered, and the apprentice fell silent.

Junipernose seemed to finally notice Thorncloud's presence. "Hello," he greeted warmly.

"Nice evening," Thorncloud mewed awkwardly.

"Thornpaw, is it?" said Pebblefoot.

"Thorncloud now, actually."

"Congratulations. I remember seeing you at a Gathering a few moons ago." He smiled in a friendly way that made Thorncloud sit up a bit taller. A warrior had remembered her?

"Thank you," Thorncloud said. She wanted to talk more to the other warriors, but the stampede of CloudClan descending into the ravine was enough to shut her up. As soon as they reached the clearing, the CloudClan leader, Galestar, jumped up onto the Great Rock.

The other leaders followed her lead. Rainstar sat beside Galestar; on her other side was Goldenstar, the RainClan leader. Last to climb upon the rock was a cat that Thorncloud recognized as Raventail, the StormClan deputy. Thorncloud supposed he would be called Ravenstar now.

The clearing fell silent as the throng of cats examined the new StormClan leader. Rainstar broke the silence. "Ravenstar, as the new leader of StormClan, would you care to address the Gathering first?" she asked politely. Thorncloud could tell from her calculating look that she was sizing him up.

"Thank you, Rainstar," Ravenstar said politely. He looked almost like a silhouette, completely black beside the other leaders. His yellow eyes surveyed the clearing. "As of seven nights ago, I was appointed the new leader of StormClan. I have already taken the journey to Highstones and been accepted by StarClan, and granted my nine lives. Woodstar died nobly in the heat of battle."

At this last statement, several StormClan cats bristled. Thorncloud felt her own hackles begin to rise, and several other SnowClan cats around her straightened defensively. It was on SnowClan territory that Woodstar had died; Thorncloud had been just an apprentice then, and it was this battle that had granted her warrior status. She had wrestled with Woodstar herself moments before Copperfur had pinned him down and given him the killing blow.

Ravenstar flicked his tail, and the StormClan cats fell silent. "I acknowledge that Woodstar's leadership often lead StormClan to unnecessary disputes. This border fight was one of them. However, we will not forget that it was SnowClan who took our leader down." His yellow gaze flashed threateningly. "Other than this, StormClan has no more news to share."

The introductory speech had ruffled the cats below. Even Rainstar was looking unhappy. She stepped forward. "SnowClan is thriving this newleaf," she began, which Thorncloud only knew was half-true. Thriving in comparison to leaf-bare, maybe, but not in the general sense of the word. "We would like to remind the other clans that we are prepared to defend our borders should any more disputes arise. We have two new warriors this moon – Thorncloud and Tigerfang."

Celebratory yowls came from the surrounding SnowClan cats. Thorncloud lifted her chin proudly. She could see Tigerfang doing the same on the other side of the clearing.

Rainstar carried on, followed by Galestar. Finally Goldenstar of RainClan stepped up. Thorncloud listened intently, but there was not much of interest from any of the clans that moon. She tried not to be disappointed; there would be other Gatherings. She had just hoped her first Gathering as a warrior would be one to remember.

Goldenstar announced that RainClan had two new warriors, as well. Thorncloud swung her head around to see a proud yellow and black tortoiseshell tom named Bumblestripe as his name was called. She was amused by his name. With the yellow in his pelt, he did sort of resemble a bumblebee. The other warrior was named Cloudstorm. She was a beautiful white she-cat, her fur marked by large grey and black splotches on her back.

"RainClan has other news as well," Goldenstar said, his voice lowering slightly in a way that made every pair of ears prick up with interest. His gold pelt shone ominously in the moonlight. "RainClan has a new deputy, Brookpelt."

Yowls of congratulations came from several cats. Underneath, a murmur of surprise echoed through the hollow. Thorncloud shared their apprehension. What happened to Sunstream, the previous RainClan deputy?

Goldenstar waited for the murmurs to subside before continuing. "As you are all aware, our deputy was Sunstream until very recently. He is now in exile." Gasps of shock echoed through the ravine. Thorncloud couldn't suppress a meow of alarm. "Peace," Goldenstar said quietly. "Sunstream was a great deputy, but his ambition got the best of him. He and a few other warriors attempted to kill me to take over the clan, but RainClan is strong. He did not succeed."

Goldenstar paused, and Thorncloud thought she spied pain in his eyes. A shiver ran up her spine.

"Rest assured, he is no longer a threat to our clan," Goldenstar continued. He and his allies are gone from our territory. If you scent him on your territory, we encourage you to turn him away, or better yet… kill him."

Goldenstar leapt down from the Great Rock at once, and Thorncloud knew the Gathering was over. The clearing erupted into chatter, and Thorncloud said a hasty goodbye to the cats she had met – Pebblefoot, Junipernose, Flameclaw and Shadowpaw. She trotted over to Bumblestripe and Cloudstorm.

Bumblestripe noticed her presence first. He eyed her curiously. "Greetings, Thorncloud. Congratulations," he said.

Thorncloud glanced between the two warriors, her eyes lingering on Cloudstorm. "I just wanted to say the same to you both, and sorry about the troubles with your old deputy."

"Thank you," Cloudstorm said. "But we should probably go with the rest of our clan now."

"Right. I–"

"Thorncloud!" Tigerfang was a few fox-lengths away, whipping her tail back and forth with annoyance. "We're _leaving_!"

"Coming!" Thorncloud called. To the RainClan warriors, she smiled. "See you around," she said, and bounded away up the slope to join the rest of her clan.

At the top, Tigerfang narrowed her eyes. "Why were you talking to them?" she demanded.

"Just figured it would be a good idea to be friendly," Thorncloud said. "Not that you would know anything about that."

Tigerfang scoffed and ran to the front of the group. Fine, Thorncloud thought. Leave her to pester Rainstar. Copperfur slipped in beside her and purred with amusement. "I think it's nice you're so kind to the other clans," he said. "Compassion comes in handy. It's better to have friends than enemies."

Thorncloud didn't reply, deep in thought. "What do you think of Sunstream's exile?" she asked.

"Shocking, to say the least," Copperfur murmured. "I didn't know him personally, but he never seemed hostile to me. Did you know he was Goldenstar's brother?"

Thorncloud's eyes widened. That explained how troubled Goldenstar was. She shook her head. "Such needless fighting. If only all cats had common sense…"

Copperfur purred with amusement. "Careful, Thorncloud. If you keep talking like that people will think you're becoming an elder too early."

Thorncloud swatted him with her tail and bounded away towards camp, excited to spread the news about the exiled RainClan deputy.

 **Chapter 2**

Like all gossip, the news spread quickly. Rainstar ordered a few extra patrols just in case Sunstream and his followers were in the area, but after a few days the threat was forgotten. Things returned to normal.

Thorncloud crouched low in the underbrush and wiggled her haunches in anticipation. A starling was shuffling under some leaves just a few tail-lengths away, unaware of its hunter. Thorncloud held her breath. _Ready… pounce!_

 _Snap!_ The starling squawked loudly and took flight, escaping Thorncloud's grasp easily. She whipped her head around to see who was responsible for losing her prey.

Tigerfang strolled out from behind a tree. She paused at Thorncloud's glare. "What?" She asked innocently.

Thorncloud just huffed and walked away. There was a bite to the air today as the last of leaf-bare made its last stand. Most of the prey was in hiding, and it was hard enough to be on a hunting patrol without Tigerfang interfering.

"I thought I told you to hunt near the Owl Tree," Thorncloud said, padding away in the direction of Sunningrocks.

"And I thought you weren't my mentor," Tigerfang retorted, plodding along after her noisily. "I wanted to hunt over here."

"Act like it then, instead of scaring all the prey away." Thorncloud flicked her ears in annoyance.

"You've become uptight since we became warriors," said her sister. "Let's just enjoy the day!"

"The Clan needs food. Or have you forgotten that part of your duties?" Thorncloud saw Sunningrocks ahead and sped up. Perhaps there would be some prey between the rocks.

Tigerfang was more concerned about lounging. She went ahead and splashed across the rocks. What little sun that poked through the clouds reflected off her tabby pelt.

"Blizzardpelt sent us to hunt, not relax."

"Blizzardpelt is an old badger," said Tigerfang, shutting her eyes tiredly.

Thorncloud shook her head. There was no use arguing with Tigerfang. Instead, she started listening for prey.

"Why were you talking to all those RainClan cats at the Gathering?" Tigerfang asked, breaking the silence.

Thorncloud sighed. "The Gathering is a chance to get to know the other clans. You're not meant to stick by your own clan all night."

"All I'm saying is, I don't trust RainClan right now," said Tigerfang. "Who knows how many of them are secretly in cahoots with Sunstream?"

Thorncloud looked at her, bewildered, and sat up straight, curling her tail around her paws. There was no use hunting now; the prey would be scared away by their voices. "But all of Sunstream's allies went with him."

"That we know of," Tigerfang said. "If I was him, I'd leave a few behind to gather information."

Thorncloud started at her. Tigerfang opened an eye, then closed it. "What? Don't look at me like that. I'm just trying to think from his perspective."

"SnowClan!" A voice ripped through the air from the other side of the river. Tigerfang leapt to her paws, bristling. Thorncloud padded closer to the border between their territory and RainClan's, remaining calm. She recognized one of the two cats padding towards them; Pebblefoot, the massive RainClan warrior.

With him was a smaller cat - a grey tabby apprentice - and a smoky grey she-cat. The she-cat spoke again, looking on them suspiciously with her piercing amber eyes. "What's your purpose here?"

"Sunningrocks belongs to SnowClan!" Tigerfang hissed.

"Peace, Tigerfang!" Thorncloud warned, being careful to keep her voice calm. "We are not here to fight."

Pebblefoot eyed her thoughtfully. "They mean no harm, Brookpelt," he said to the grey cat.

"Don't forget some of this land belongs to us," Brookpelt said. "Sunningrocks is SnowClan's at the moment, but not forever."

"Yeah, we'll take it back soon!" piped up the apprentice.

"Quiet, Scalepaw," Pebblefoot said, not unkindly.

Scalepaw lowered her head slightly. Thorncloud understood that Scalepaw's words were a threat - perhaps RainClan had plans to attack sooner than SnowClan had suspected. Brookpelt was certainly looking ruffled at the slip-up.

"Brookpelt, I assure you we will keep to our territory," Thorncloud promised. "Right, Tigerfang?"

Tigerfang hesitated, her tail lashing. Thorncloud feared she might refused, but slowly, she stood up from her attack stance. "Right," she said through gritted teeth, as if it had taken her a great effort.

"Thank you, Thorncloud," Pebblefoot mewed. "RainClan wants no quarrels with you. We will leave you."

"For now," Brookpelt added, and turned to leave. Pebblefoot followed, nudging Scalepaw along. Once their pawsteps had faded, Thorncloud turned on Tigerfang.

"You just have to pick a fight wherever you can, don't you?" She shook her head and padded back towards the trees. "Come on, we need to catch _something_ before we return to camp, or we'll be cleaning out the elders' den for the next moon."

Thorncloud returned with a squirrel and a chaffinch clutched between her teeth. Tigerfang caught two mice and a rabbit, which was impressive considering SnowClan wasn't known for their rabbit-catching.

After depositing their haul on the fresh-kill pile, Tigerfang padded away towards the warrior den to catch up on her sleep, while Thorncloud shouldered the responsibility of reporting to Blizzardpelt.

She found him at the base of the Highrock, sharing an impressively fat robin with Rainstar. Their conversation ceased when Thorncloud came near, and Blizzardpelt smiled warmly at her. Thorncloud felt self-conscious as she approached.

"Good afternoon, Thorncloud. How was the pray running this afternoon?" He asked.

Thorncloud dipped her head respectfully to Rainstar as she said, "Just fine, Blizzardpelt. The fresh-kill pile is looking good."

"Excellent," Rainstar said. She wasn't a very warm cat, but Thorncloud could see approval in her eyes at the very least.

"Anything else to report?" asked Blizzardpelt.

"Actually, yes." Thorncloud recounted the run-in with RainClan at Sunningrocks. When she had finished, Rainstar's tail was twitching irritably.

"It seems we should be doubling our guard at the RainClan border," she said. Thorncloud knew why this bothered the clan leader so much; SnowClan was short on forces after leaf-bare and the battle with StormClan. Doubling the patrols would run the warriors into exhaustion.

"Thank you for the report, Thorncloud," said Blizzardpelt, looking troubled. "You handled the encounter well. Take some fresh-kill to Tallfeather, and then you can rest."

Thorncloud nodded and padded away. She stopped at the fresh-kill pile and then headed to the medicine den.

Tallfeather was shuffling around some herbs when Thorncloud arrived. He looked up as she entered, and gave a wide smile. "I wondered if I might see you today, Thorncloud," he said, startling the young warrior as she deposited a thrush on ground.

"Really?" Thorncloud asked, surprised that he was thinking of her.

"I had a dream about you last night. Nothing serious," he added when he saw the alarm in her eyes. "I saw you by the river, talking to some RainClan cats. You're very diplomatic," he teased.

"That's funny, I just spoke to some RainClan warriors," Thorncloud said. "A minor border dispute."

"Then it seems my dream came true." Tallfeather nodded at the thrush. "Thank you for that. I haven't had a chance to eat today; Crowpelt isn't feeling well again." The elder had been losing fur since the beginning of leaf-bare. Thorncloud had heard him complaining of a chill on the way back from the Gathering, too.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It comes with the job!" He paused to lick a paw and swipe it over an ear. He was an unusually patterned Tom - a calico. Usually calicos were female; other than Tallfeather, Thorncloud had never seen another calico tom.

"Well, I'll leave you to work," Thorncloud said, feeling awkward in the medicine den. Tallfeather was much larger than her, and she felt small under his gaze.

"Thank you again, Thorncloud. And be careful by the river," he added, a playful glint in his eyes.


	2. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Thorncloud was padding through an unfamiliar rocky outcrop. She felt as if she had been there before, but could not say when. It was hot, the sun beating overhead in a cloudless sky, and Thorncloud realized that it was greenleaf.

A scent of another cat wafted around her, and Thorncloud perked up. It was a smell she instinctively recognized, but could not place.

"Thorncloud!" The ghostly voice of a she-cat sounded like it was in her head, yet all around her. "A sapling grows at Fourtrees. Both sun and rain cannot co-exist."

Thorncloud ran across the rocks, looking around to find the source of the voice. "What does that mean?" she called, desperate to find the cat that the voice belonged too. Part of her felt as if she recognized them. "Who are you?"

A fresh wave of the she-cat's smell surrounded her. "Who are you? Please!" she called.

Suddenly she was bowled aside by an unseen force and, wailing, Thorncloud careened off the rocks toward the plains below…

"Thorncloud!" Tigerfang's voice cut through the rain, and she jerked awake. Her sister was pressing roughly into her shoulder with her huge paws. So that was what pushed her.

Like water down the feathered back of a bird, Thorncloud's dream began to fade from her mind. She sat up, shook her head, and looked around, seeing that the warriors den was full except for Copperfur and Berryleaf on the night patrol. Blizzardpelt lifted his head and blinked across the den at her. "Sounds like a nightmare, Thorncloud," he murmured, half asleep.

"Sorry, Blizzardpelt."

The senior warrior just lowered his head onto his paws and fell back asleep. Tigerfang was also curling up in her spot, leaving only Thorncloud awake.

She decided she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. Padding out of the den, she made her way toward Tallfeather's. The medicine cat was awake when she entered, eating the thrush that Thorncloud had brought earlier.

"You're only just having that now?" she asked, amused.

"I had to replenish my supplies earlier. With new leaf, many of the herbs I was low on are now growing back," replied Tallfeather, who looked utterly exhausted. Thorncloud suddenly felt bad for bothering him. "What brings you back to my den?"

"A dream," Thorncloud answered, feeling self-conscious. She had discussed dreams like this with Tallfeather before. He was the only one of her friends who seemed to take them seriously.

"Something from StarClan?" he asked.

"It might be nothing - it was just very vivid," she explained, sitting opposite him. She searched her mind for images from the dream, and came up empty. "I can barely remember it now."

"Dreams can be like that." He smiled at her kindly. "I'm sorry that you're troubled. Other than my dream about you, my dreams have been few lately."

"Is that a good sign?"

"I hope so." Tallfeather finished his meal and drew his tongue over his muzzle.

Thorncloud thought hard about her dream. "I remember scenting a cat. She smelled familiar, but I couldn't recognize her."

"Someone you've met before?"

"I don't think so."

"How did you know it was a she-cat?" Tallfeather asked.

"Huh?"

"You called the cat a 'she', but only said you scented her."

Thorncloud's eyes lit up. "Because she spoke to me! If only I could remember what she said…"

"If it's important, it will return to you in time," Tallfeather said. "And if it doesn't, perhaps she will."

Thorncloud found herself nodding. "You're right." The sound of pawsteps drew her attention, and she stood. "Thank you. I'll let you get some sleep."

Tallfeather dipped his head gratefully - she could see the tiredness in his eyes. "Good night, Thorncloud."

"Good morning," she corrected, as pinpricks of dawn light started shining into the den through gaps in the foliage. She padded from the den, and out into the clearing.

The night patrol was just returning. Blizzardpelt was emerging from the warriors den. He met Copperfur and Berrynose in the centre of the clearing to report. Thorncloud headed towards them.

She waited for Copperfur to finish, and then stepped forward. "Can I join the dawn patrol, Blizzardpelt?" she asked.

Blizzardpelt looked to her, and nodded. "Sure, Thorncloud. You'll go with Twigpaw and I."

"Hopefully its more exciting than the night patrol," Copperfur said, blinking at Thorncloud tiredly.

"Hopefully not. I don't think I'm awake enough for trouble yet," Blizzardpelt said, stifling a yawn. As he spoke, a small tabby Tom with a white chest emerged from the apprentices den and began making his way toward them. It was Twigpaw, Blizzardpelt's apprentice. "All ready?" The warrior asked.

"Yeah!" Twigpaw said, and hopped, almost rabbit-like towards the camp entrance.

"Ah… I remember being that young," sighed Blizzardpelt, stifling a yawn. "We better follow him before he gets too far ahead."

Once again along the border between SnowClan and RainClan, Thorncloud scented the air. The forest was crisp here by the river, except for the RainClan scent markers that plagued the air.

"They've marked their border recently!" Twigpaw announced proudly walking a few tail-lengths ahead of Thorncloud and Blizzardpelt.

"Very good," his mentor said. He glanced at Thorncloud with amusement. As Twigpaw strayed farther away, Blizzardpelt leaned in and said in an undertone, "How come so keen to join the patrol today?"

Thorncloud paused, waiting as Blizzardpelt renewed their scent markers. She thought about her answer. "Just restless," she decided.

"It sounded like you had a dream troubling you in the night," he said.

Thorncloud looked away sheepishly as they continued walking. "Sorry if I woke you."

"As if I could sleep with Tigerfang's snoring, anyway," he replied. His green eyes twinkled mischievously. "Was Tallfeather able to help?"

"He always knows what to say," Thorncloud said.

"This is true. He not only mends wounds. Twigpaw!" Blizzardpelt called out to his apprentice, who had disappeared ahead. A scuffle from a nearby bush announced that the Tom was not far away. He emerged from the bush with a squirrel in his jaws, his tail proudly in the air.

"Nice catch," thornfeather praised, her stomach rumbling in agreement.

"Let's pause for a moment to eat, then we'll continue towards Sunningrocks," Blizzardpelt said, and they all sat to share the squirrel.

Twigpaw didn't hesitate to take the first bite. Thorncloud thought it would have been more respectful to let the senior warrior eat first, but Blizzardpelt didn't seem to mind. "Hey, Thorncloud! Did you really fight over Sunningrocks yesterday?" Twigpaw asked around a mouthful of squirrel.

"It wasn't a fight," Thorncloud said. "Just a discussion with the deputy and another warrior, Pebblefoot."

Blizzardpelt was nodding. "I'm glad it was Pebblefoot there and not another more hostile warrior. Brookpelt is as fierce as the river itself," he said. He dipped his head to take a bite of the squirrel.

"Sunningrocks has always been a point of tension between our clans," Thorncloud explained to Twigpaw, who was listening intently. "It's been ours since I can remember… but it goes back and forth."

"When I was an apprentice, it belonged to RainClan," Blizzardpelt said. "Though that was many moons ago now. I'm surprised RainClan hasn't asked for it sooner."

"I can't believe they exiled Sunstream!" Twigpaw exclaimed. "Do you think he'll try to come to SnowClan territory?"

"I doubt it," Blizzardpelt said. "He is a very intelligent cat; there's a reason Goldenstar made him deputy. He will know that the Gathering has passed, and that Goldenstar will have told the other clans. If he was going to attack, he would have done it before we knew about his exile."

The great white cat got to his paws. "Finish up that squirrel; it's time we finished our patrol."

Twigpaw bounded after his mentor, leaving Thorncloud to finish the meal. When she was done, she quickly buried the remains and silently thanked StarClan for the meal. She hurried to catch up with the other two.

They circled back once they reached the end of their territory, and headed towards camp. Once again, Twigpaw was eager to lead the trail, and he went ahead.

"My apprentice has too much energy for these old paws," Blizzardpelt said. Thorncloud smiled. The deputy wasn't as old as he pretended to be, but he was the most senior warrior in the clan. She imagined it must be hard to keep up with a young cat like Twigpaw. "You must be excited to get your first apprentice."

Thorncloud perked up. "Yes, of course. But I suspect I won't have one for many moons." There was only one litter of kits in the nursery at the moment – Barktail had her kits three moons ago – but Rosewhisker was now expecting and would be due in a while.

"As long as you keep up your good work, you'll have an apprentice in no time," Blizzardpelt assured her.

"Thank you, Blizzardpelt," Thorncloud said, taken aback by his kind words.

"For a young warrior, you have a very level head. Even as an apprentice, I remember you being very responsible. It's uncommon," he said. "I would have liked to mentor you, myself, but Copperfur was desperate for his first apprentice. He did a good job."

"He did," Thorncloud agreed. The thought of the russet-furred tom made her smile. "I feel honoured to have a place in SnowClan."

"I'm glad. We need more strong-minded warriors like you." Blizzardpelt sped up his pace. "Now let's catch up with Twigpaw before he hurts himself."

Much later, Thorncloud was still reeling from Blizzardpelt's praise. He was one of the most well respected cats in the clan, after all. Feeling light as a feather, she headed over to the warriors' den for a quick nap. The weight of her poor sleep was beginning to make her paws drag, and she hoped to sleep before going out hunting with Copperfur in the afternoon.

Tigerfang was leaving as she approached. "Thorncloud!" she exclaimed, blocking the tortoiseshell's path to the den. "Guess what I caught this morning."

"A cold, hopefully, so you can go see Tallfeather and get out of my way," Thorncloud said. Tigerfang didn't seem to hear her.

"A _fish_!" the tabby announced.

"How in StarClan's name did you do that?" Thorncloud asked, genuinely curious.

"I wanted to show those stupid RainClan cats," Tigerfang said, bristling her fur. "They're not the only ones who can use the river!"

"You didn't go into their territory, did you?" Thorncloud asked, bewildered that Tigerfang would be so bold to go fishing.

Tigerfang groomed her chest proudly. "No. I did it by Sunningrocks," she said.

"Be careful, Tigerfang," Thorncloud said, growing worried. "RainClan will take any opportunity to fight over that place."

Tigerfang scoffed. "If they set foot on our territory, I'll shred them! That stupid Brookpelt too – what a pain in the tail!" She looked up at Thorncloud. "The least you could do is be proud of me."

Thorncloud sighed. "I'm very impressed, Tigerfang. Just be careful." She brushed past her sister into the den, ready for a long nap. Over her shoulder she heard Tigerfang call, "You're not the clan leader, you know!"


	3. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Rainstar's voice echoed through the clearing. She stood on top of the rock that overlooked the SnowClan camp, her blue-grey fur glinting silver in the moonlight.

Several days had passed since Thorncloud's dream, and still, she could not grasp what she had seen. Every so often, she remembered the strangely familiar scent, but not the words that came with it. She hoped that the dream would come again, if only to satiate her unrelenting curiosity.

Thorncloud padded out of the warrior den towards the Highrock. Most of the clan was already gathered, as well as several kits who certainly weren't old enough to catch their own prey. Rainstar watched them all. As great a leader she was, Thorncloud had always found her mind strangely distant. Besides her conversations with Blizzardpelt, Thorncloud rarely saw her conversing with the other warriors. She was not a very sociable leader. The clan respected her all the same, but Thorncloud found it strange that she knew so little about her own leader.

"Tonight I would like to discuss the ownership of Sunningrocks," Rainstar began. "Over the last few days, patrols have noted an increased presence of RainClan around that part of the river. We believe they may intend to take it back."

"Sunningrocks belong to SnowClan!" exclaimed Stoneclaw, a light grey tabby warrior. Several yowls of agreement met his statement.

Rainstar let the noise die down before continuing. "It's true that Sunningrocks have belonged to our clan for many moons. We must brace ourselves for an attack. Each patrol that passes Sunningrocks should be increased in numbers, in case an ambush awaits there. Take care around this area." Thorncloud was sure she saw Rainstar's eyes flicker to Tigerfang for just a moment.

"I have another announcement, as well," the leader continued. "Blizzardpelt has decided to retire from his duties as deputy, and move to the elders' den."

Shock rippled through the clearing. Thorncloud was among them. Blizzardpelt was the most senior warrior, but she had never expected him to retire. The white tom dipped his head from where he sat at the base of the Highrock. Rainstar looked down at him expectantly.

"It has been an honour to serve the clan as deputy, but I am not as young as I once was," Blizzardpelt said. "My retirement is partially due to my age, but also to my vision. As most of you know, my head was hit badly in the fight with StormClan. Since then, my eyes have not been the same. I don't believe I can fulfill my duties as deputy and as a senior warrior as well as I could before."

Thorncloud stared at the old cat sadly. She had been fond of him. But no wonder he had been so kind lately, she thought – he must be reminiscing on his younger years, leading up to this announcement.

"As tradition suggests, I must name a new deputy by moonhigh," Rainstar went on. "Berryleaf will replace Blizzardpelt as deputy."

"Berryleaf!" several cats chorused. The black and white tom raised his head proudly to the cheers around him.

"Thank you, Rainstar," he said. "I won't disappoint you. I intend to be a worthy successor to Blizzardpelt."

"I should hope so." Rainstar's whiskers twitched with what might have been amusement, if she could feel such a thing. "Since you already have an apprentice, Oakpaw, Blizzardpelt's apprentice will be passed on. Twigpaw, your new mentor will be Copperfur."

Copperfur beamed; his eyes showed a lack of surprise, only pride, telling Thorncloud that he already knew of Blizzardpelt's retirement. She slouched. Why had he not told her? She watched as Twigpaw bounded towards his new mentor. The two toms touched noses.

"Copperfur, you are a fair mentor and loyal cat. I hope you will pass on your knowledge to Twigpaw as you continue his training," Rainstar said. "This clan meeting is dismissed."

The leader leaped off the Highrock and padded into her den. The cats began to disperse. Cats moved to congratulate Berryleaf and Copperfur, but Thorncloud moved instead towards Blizzardpelt, who was still sitting quietly by the Highrock.

He smiled as she approached. "Congratulations," Thorncloud mewed, sitting in front of him.

"Thank you," Blizzardpelt said, his eyes betraying his relief at being accepted as an elder rather than a warrior.

"You can't control the path of time, Blizzardpelt. It's better to live a full life in the elders' den than risk your life in the forest as a warrior and die too soon," Thorncloud said.

Blizzardpelt looked at her with surprise, and Thorncloud shrank under his gaze, wondering if she ought to keep her thoughts to herself. "Such wise words from one so young," he said, shaking his head. He leaned towards her and lowered his voice. "Between you and me, I wanted you to take over Twigpaw's training. But Rainstar thought you too young."

Thorncloud didn't know how to respond, so she just ducked her head respectfully. Blizzardpelt gave her a fond nudge and then stood up. He stretched his stiff limbs. "I suppose I should go join Crowpelt and Pinetail in the elders' den," he sighed. "Be sure to come by and visit, Thorncloud."

"I will," she called as he padded away. She turned and made her way to Copperfur. The crowd had thinned around him, so she took the opportunity to but in. "I should congratulate you on your new apprentice," she said. "Let's hope he lives up to your last one." She puffed out her chest, then laughed and gave Copperfur a friendly head butt in the shoulder.

"I'm sure he'll stay in line. Right, Twigpaw?" he called to the apprentice, who was chattering with Owlpaw and Ivypaw a few tail-lengths away.

"No trouble from me, Copperfur!" Twigpaw assured him.

Copperfur shook his head, and turned to Thorncloud. "How are you?" he asked.

"Fine." She cast her gaze towards the elders' den.

Copperfur licked her cheek affectionately. "Blizzardpelt will be fine. It's a tough thing to step down from deputy, but I certainly respect him for it." He looked at Thorncloud, and frowned. "Want to go hunting for a bit?" he asked.

"Maybe just a walk," Thorncloud said.

"Alright, let's go." Copperfur lead the way to the tunnel that took them out of camp. Thorncloud followed, feeling troubled, but not able to figure out why. She focused on Copperfur's tail ahead of her and padded on after him.

Once out into the open air, Thorncloud lead the way up the rocks out of the ravine. She started walking, letting her paws take her wherever they wanted. Copperfur followed her silently. She could feel his questioning stare, but she didn't feel like talking.

After some time, Copperfur finally spoke. "Thorncloud… are we headed to Fourtrees?" he asked, looking around.

Thorncloud looked up. She hadn't meant to come this far from camp, but suddenly it felt like the right place to be. "Yes," she said, certain that this is where she was meant to go. She sped up, not stopping until the four massive oak trees came into view.

Looking down into the sacred place, a strange scent flickered on the breeze, startling Thorncloud. That scent – it was the cat from her dream! She lunged down into the clearing, scrambling hastily against the rocks.

"Thorncloud! Wait!" Copperfur hurried after her. "Where are you going?"

Thorncloud didn't answer until she reached the bottom of the slope. She padded into the centre of the clearing. Copperfur panted as he caught up with her. "What's going on?" he asked.

"I had a dream," Thorncloud said.

"A dream?" Copperfur echoed. "About Fourtrees?"

"No…" Thorncloud said uncertainly, and began pacing. "I was somewhere else…" It came to her in a flash. "Rocks! There were lots of rocky land around me. And a cat spoke to me, someone I didn't recognize, but somehow knew…"

"Have you told anyone about this?" he asked.

"Tallfeather."

Copperfur let out a huff, but Thorncloud was too distracted to wonder why. "And what did he say?"

"I couldn't remember much about the dream then," Thorncloud explained. "But it's coming back to me, I think. I was alone in the rocklands."

Copperfur shook his head. "There aren't any rocklands around here, Thorncloud. Unless you mean Highstones."

Thorncloud gasped. "Highstones!" she meowed, and bounded over to the Great Rock. "That's it!" she said and she climbed up to overlook the clearing. "I was at Highstones – I knew I had been there before! But it wasn't near Mothermouth, it was somewhere else. It was greenleaf… and a voice spoke to me."

Copperfur stared up at her, his eyes filled with apprehension. "Thorncloud, you know this was just a dream, right?" he asked.

"Sometimes… sometimes I have vivid dreams," Thorncloud said. "They've come true before. Just small things, but still. But this dream was different. It felt important." She looked around the clearing for some kind of sign, or something to remind her of what the mystery she-cat had said to her.

A shadow at the top of the ravine caught her eye. It was the shape of two cats, slinking along the top, coming from the direction of RainClan.

"We aren't alone," Thorncloud said, and Copperfur turned hastily to where she was looking.

"Thorncloud, we should go."

"We aren't in danger," Thorncloud said, feeling very sure of herself. She wasn't sure why.

The two shapes began descending into Fourtrees. Their scent reached Thorncloud's nose – it was two RainClan warriors, and she recognized them both. It was Bumblestripe, the tortoiseshell tom, and Cloudstorm, the white she-cat with grey and black splotches.

Copperfur circled to the far side of the Great Rock, and hissed to Thorncloud, "Get down here!"

Thorncloud did as he said, hiding from the two cats behind the rock. The wind was on their side; it was blowing up towards CloudClan, so that their scents would not carry to the RainClan warriors. That wouldn't disguise their scent from walking to the Great Rock, though.

The warriors didn't seem to notice. They were chattering distractedly as they got closer. "I just feel as if this is the right place to start," came Bumblestripe's voice.

"I don't understand," Cloudstorm said, her smooth voice sounding small after Bumblestripe's full one.

"The dream mentioned Fourtrees." Thorncloud met Copperfur's eyes. Bumblestripe went on, "She said something about Fourtrees, and then something like 'rain and sun can't exist together', I think."

Unable to stop herself, Thorncloud emerged from behind the Great Rock. "A sapling grows at Fourtrees!" she exclaimed.

The two RainClan warriors reeled back in shock at her sudden appearance. Cloudstorm reacted first, falling into a defensive stance – but stopped when Bumblestripe didn't follow suit. Her tail twitched nervously as her eyes flickered between her clanmate and her enemy.

"How did you know?" Bumblestripe asked, recovering quickly from his shock.

"I had a dream, too," Thorncloud said.

Cloudstream was now scenting the air. "She's not alone, Bumblestripe," the she-cat warned. Copperfur followed Thorncloud out, glancing between the warriors suspiciously.

"A sapling grows at Fourtrees," Bumblestripe murmured. "Yes, that's what I heard, too."

"Both sun and rain cannot co-exist," Thorncloud finished. She stared wide-eyed at him.

"How is it that you two had the same dream?" Copperfur demanded.

Bumblestripe shook his head. "I don't understand."

"StarClan is trying to tell us something," Thorncloud said. "I'm sure of it."

An idea struck her. She sprang into action and ran around the clearing. She took care to circle the stump of each oak tree, and examine the clearing as best she could, but all she found was grass, shrubs, roots, and dirt.

Cloudstorm was nudging Bumblestripe anxiously. "We shouldn't be here, Bumblestripe," she whispered as Thorncloud returned to Copperfur's side.

"There isn't a _real_ sapling," Thorncloud announced. "But maybe it's supposed to mean something else… though I can't see what…"

"Thorncloud, this RainClan warrior is right. None of us should be at Fourtrees tonight," Copperfur said. He cast his gaze up at Silverpelt, as if expecting the clouds to cover up the moon to show StarClan's disapproval. The moon remained untouched.

"If we're not meant to be here, how come we happened to arrive at the same time?" Thorncloud shot back. Copperfur didn't answer; he had no response. Bumblestripe just looked thoughtful. "I know StarClan is trying to tell me something," Thorncloud continued. "Or at least someone is. I just wish I knew who she was."

"It's Thorncloud, right?" Bumblestripe said. The SnowClan cat nodded. "And I recognize you, Copperfur. I'll remember that it was you two that we spoke to tonight. Cloudstorm is right, we should be returning to our clan."

"Let's speak at the next Gathering," Thorncloud said. "Please."

Cloudstorm was glaring at her clanmate, but Bumblestripe nodded. "I give you my word, I will seek you out. I'm just as puzzled about his dream as you." He looked between them. "Goodnight."

As they headed out of the clearing, Thorncloud could hear Cloudstorm berating the tom. Thorncloud turned to Copperfur. "I knew I was meant to be here tonight. Now I know what I dreamt."

"And that another cat dreamt the same thing," Copperfur said. He sounded uneasy. "Thorncloud… I'm worried about you. We shouldn't be speaking to other clans like this. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't," Thorncloud promised.

Copperfur leaned forward to lick her head affectionately. She was surprised when he shuffled closer and began to purr. "You mean a lot to me, Thorncloud," he said quietly.

"I…" Thorncloud didn't know what to say. "Copperfur, you're my closest friend. I'm sorry I dragged you into this." She stood and moved away slightly. Copperfur's purring ceased at once. "I value your friendship a lot, Copperfur. You were a great mentor to me."

"I care about you a lot," Copperfur said. "More than I can say."

"I – I know." Thorncloud felt uneasy. What was she to say? "I care about you, too. As a friend."

Copperfur stared at her for a long moment, then stood and began walking in the direction of camp. "We should return now," he said flatly. Thorncloud had no choice but to follow him in swift silence.

They didn't speak the entire walk back to camp.


	4. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next morning, Thorncloud awoke to the emptiness of the warriors' den. Despite the fact that nothing in the camp had changed since her trip to Fourtrees, there was a different feeling in the air as she emerged into the clearing.

Looking around, nothing seemed out of place. Rainstar sat under the Highrock, having a morning meal as she watched over the camp. Owlpaw, Twigpaw, and Ivypaw played by the gorse tunnel as they waited for their mentors to join them for training. Barktail watched over her kits by the nursery as they rolled around. Leafkit pinned down her sister Daisykit and Daisykit squealed.

Then Thorncloud spotted Blizzardpelt just inside the entrance to the elders' den, chatting with Pinetail, a blind tom with beautiful brown fur. Her gaze shifted to Copperfur, sharing a chaffinch with Berryleaf. Her shoulders sagged. This early, it would usually be _her_ that Copperfur ate with. He was turned away from her now, and didn't see her as she padded towards the camp exit.

Ivypaw jumped toward her as she approached the tunnel that left the camp. "Thorncloud! Thorncloud!" the little cream-coloured she-cat meowed. "We're being assessed in hunting today!"

"That's wonderful, Ivypaw," Thorncloud said, forcing a smile onto her face as she sat with her tail curled around her paws. "I'm sure you'll make SnowClan proud!"

"Windheart said that if I do well, I'll be a warrior in no time!" she boasted. She ran around in a circle, unable to contain her excitement.

"I know you will - all three of you," Thorncloud said. "Make sure to tell me all about it later, okay?"

"We will!" Oakpaw said.

Nearby, Thorncloud saw Tallfeather emerge from his den. He lit up when he saw her, and padded over. "Good morning, Thorncloud. Good morning, apprentices," he said.

"Hi, Tallfeather," Thorncloud said. Lately it felt as if the wise medicine cat was her only close friend.

"Are you heading out?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Thorncloud answered. "I haven't anything specific to do today."

"Then I'd be grateful for some help collecting herbs." Tallfeather glanced at the apprentices. "If I can tear you away from these troublemakers for a little while."

"We're not troublemakers!" said Twigpaw, lifting his chin proudly.

"Of course not," Tallfeather said. He looked expectantly at Thorncloud. "Well? What do you say?"

"I'd love to help." Thorncloud stood, stretched her hind legs, and shook her ears. "I'm all ready if you are."

The two made their way through the tunnel, Thorncloud saying goodbye to the apprentices over her shoulder. They climbed the ravine where the camp lay and the young warrior let Tallfeather lead the way to find his supplies.

As they walked, Thorncloud realized they were headed towards Twolegplace. "During leaf-bare, I ran through my supply of catmint because of the greencough breakout," Tallfeather explained when she asked why they were going that way. "There's some in the gardens outside the Twoleg nests. If you're okay venturing that far," he added, casting a glance sideways at her.

Thorncloud nodded. She had never been inside the fences that separated the Twoleg gardens from the forest, but she was curious. She had no idea that Tallfeather had been there before. "Then we'll see if we can find some juniper," the medicine cat continued. "Yarrow would be good, too."

They walked in a heavy silence. Thorncloud kept glancing around, as if expecting to find some sign from StarClan about her dream. Bumblestripe, the RainClan warrior, was on her mind. His shocked face when she spoke the same prophecy that he had dreamed was imprinted on her mind.

"Tallfeather?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes, Thorncloud?"

"Have you ever heard of two cats having the same dream?"

At her words, the medicine cat slowed down, until he finally came to a halt. They were near the Twolegplace now, and the trees were beginning to thin. Thorncloud felt exposed as she stood there, waiting for his reply.

"I have heard of two cats having similar dreams, or hearing the same message from StarClan," Tallfeather said slowly. "Though when this happens, it is usually shared between a leader and their medicine cat." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Is this about your dream from the other night?" Thorncloud nodded. "Are you able to tell me more?"

Thorncloud hesitated. Should she tell him that she spoke with an enemy warrior, who shared the same dream as her? She wasn't sure if she had broken the warrior code. She couldn't get in trouble for just _talking_ to another clan cat, right?

Tallfeather laid down, settling amongst the leaves as he sensed there was a story for him to hear. Thorncloud mimicked his relaxed pose, and tucked her paws underneath her. "I remember more of my dream," she began, and recounted for him the fact that she had been at Highstones. She left out Bumblestripe for now. When she spoke the words of the prophecy, Tallfeather's eyes became distant, as if searching for something very far away.

"You don't know who sent this dream to you?" he asked.

"No," Thorncloud said. "But like I told you before, she smelled familiar."

"A SnowClan cat?"

Thorncloud thought hard. After a moment, she nodded. "Yes, I think so."

"Hm." Tallfeather fell silent again. Thorncloud wasn't sure how long they sat there, Tallfeather staring at something she could not see. Finally, he shifted, and his eyes refocused on her. "Thorncloud, I have told you since your first vivid dream that it isn't common for regular clan cats to receive dreams from StarClan. This dream in particular troubles me. However, if it was a SnowClan scent you recognized, and this was indeed a message from StarClan, I can only assume it was a former SnowClan cat who passed away."

Thorncloud nodded. "But if I knew the cat, I would have been able to know her name from her scent."

"Maybe you didn't know her… but she knew you," Tallfeather said.

Thorncloud's whiskers twitched as her curiosity spiked. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well… You know that your mother died when you were a kit," Tallfeather said slowly. He watched her carefully as he said this. "My first thought would be that it was her you scented in your dream."

Thorncloud lifted her head. "My mother?" she repeated. "You think my mother sent me a message from StarClan?" _But then why would Bumblestripe receive the same message from her?_ she thought.

"It's possible," Tallfeather said. By the way he watched her, Thorncloud wondered if he recognized that there was something she wasn't telling him. "But it's just a thought." He got to his paws and arched his back. "Think on it. If she visits you again, let me know. But Thorncloud, don't let this dream consume you. You're young, and you have many duties within the clan. Those should be your priority."

Thorncloud stood, and twitched her ears irritably. "Do you think my dream isn't important?" she asked, unable to keep her annoyance out of her tone.

"No," Tallfeather said. "But I must admit, if this was something pressing for the clan, why would StarClan not send it to me or Rainstar? After all, we communicate with StarClan more than anyone in the clan." He met her eyes, and in them Thorncloud saw him pleading for her to understand.

This just made Thorncloud more irritated. "Yes, I know you and Rainstar are more important to StarClan then me," she said.

"Thorncloud –"

"Let's go find that catmint," she interrupted, starting off towards Twolegplace again. Now she regretted speaking to Tallfeather. Even if this dream wasn't significant to him, it was to _her_. She knew she needed to decipher the message, whatever it took.

It didn't matter if Copperfur and Tallfeather and all of SnowClan didn't help her. She had to talk to Bumblestripe again, and the Gathering was too far away to wait.


	5. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **(Author's note: here's a quick extra upload for New Year's Eve. I'm writing ahead by a few chapters so I hope to output a new chapter every day or so until I catch up. Basically I'm trying to upload as frequently as I can.)**

Thorncloud left Tallfeather in his den to put away all of the herbs and berries they had collected. The rest of their trip had been quiet. Thorncloud cared for Tallfeather, and had always valued his opinion in the past, but she knew she couldn't rely on him to interpret her dream anymore, not when he had dismissed it as being unimportant to the clan.

But now, at least, she had a starting place.

She caught Tigerfang sharing tongues with Windheart by the warriors' den and approached them cautiously. The blue-and-cream warrior had her white paws tucked underneath her as Tigerfang told her all about her hunting patrol from earlier.

Windheart saw Thorncloud before Tigerfang did, and she blinked in greeting. Tigerfang paused, mid-sentence, to look up at her sister. "Hi, Thorncloud! I was just telling Windheart about how much we caught this afternoon," she boasted.

Thorncloud shook her head; Tigerfang always had a thirst to prove herself. To whom, she wasn't sure. "Between you and the apprentices, the forest will be empty soon. How did their assessment go, Windheart?" she asked.

The she-cat purred. "Very well. Berryleaf was very impressed," she said.

"I can't _wait_ to have an apprentice of my own," Tigerfang said. "I'm going to make her the best warrior in the clan! Besides me, of course."

"Her?" Thorncloud said.

"Well, I asked Berryleaf about mentoring one of Barktail's kits," Tigerfang said. "He didn't necessarily say _yes_ , but my bet is on Leafkit."

Thorncloud's fur bristled. They were barely warriors themselves, and Berryleaf was barely deputy, and he was already promising an apprentice to Tigerfang? Between the two new warriors, surely Thorncloud was the more mature than her sister?

Tigerfang seemed to notice Thorncloud's change in mood. "What's got your tail in a twist?" she asked.

"Don't worry, Thorncloud," Windheart said, "I'm sure you'll get an apprentice soon. Rosewhisker's kits will be coming soon."

Thorncloud looked at her appreciatively, but something was nagging at her. As she turned her head to see Copperfur returning through the gorse tunnel, Berryleaf at his side, she realized what it was. She mewed a brisk goodbye to the two she-cats and then made her way over to him.

Twigpaw and Owlpaw came stumbling in after them, and immediately made for the fresh-kill pile. Thorncloud marched up to Copperfur, who was chatting with Berryleaf. "Copperfur, may I speak with you?" she said sharply.

He turned to look at her, his eyes full of surprise for a moment before turning to disdain. "I suppose," he said. He dipped his head at Berryleaf, and the deputy nodded, padding off towards Rainstar's den.

Thorncloud flicked her tail and walked towards the exit. She heard Copperfur sigh, and feared he might not follow, but moments later she heard his pawsteps behind her as she climbed up the ravine and into the open air.

She led him away from camp, wanting some privacy. Coming to a stop under a large oak tree, she turned to him with fire in her eyes. "Did you tell Berryleaf not to give me an apprentice?" she demanded.

Copperfur's muzzle twitched. Thorncloud knew he was holding back a snarl. "All I said was that I didn't think you were ready to take on an apprentice yet," he said.

"And Tigerfang is?" Thorncloud asked, bewildered. "If you can say _I'm_ not ready, how can you say she is? She acts like a kit!"

"Lately, so do you!" Copperfur bit back. "Obsessed with this dream of yours, and talking to enemy warriors! Not to mention trailing after cats like Tallfeather and Blizzardpelt." He shook his head in disgust.

The fur on Thorncloud's neck stood up straight. "This is about what happened at Fourtrees, isn't it?" she said. "When you said you _care_ about me?"

"So what if it is?"

"Well you clearly don't care about me that much if you're getting mad at me for no reason!" Thorncloud shouted. She was barely aware of how her voice echoed through the trees loud enough to scare away the surrounding prey.

"You basically you told me you didn't care about me," Copperfur accused.

"Excuse me? I believe I told you that you were my closest friend!" Thorncloud couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Just because I don't feel more than friendship for you doesn't mean I don't care about you!"

"I waited for you, all this time," Copperfur said. He stared at her with narrowed eyes. "I mentored you, and I kept my emotions back because I knew it wasn't wise. But now we can be together – and you refused me!"

"I can't help how I feel," Thorncloud said. She swallowed her surprise that Copperfur's feelings were long-term. Her entire time as an apprentice, she had only ever seen him as a mentor and friend. "I value your friendship, but I don't owe you anything else, Copperfur."

The older warrior was staring at her as if he didn't recognize her anymore. "You're so selfish," he said.

Thorncloud grit her teeth. " _I'm_ selfish?" She unsheathed and sheathed her claws. "You know what, Copperfur? Don't talk to me. Unless it's to do with warrior duties, I don't want to even look at you anymore."

She turned and started walking back to camp. "Fine!" Copperfur called. "See if I care! Say hi to Tallfeather for me!"

It took all of her will not to turn around and claw him from ear to tail. Once she reached the top of the ravine, she stared down towards the gorse tunnel. Suddenly, she couldn't imagine going back down there right now.

Instead, she turned and headed for the river.

Scenting the air, Thorncloud knew that a patrol had passed through here recently. The scent markers were fresh on the border of SnowClan's territory, and as she lifted her nose, she could also smell RainClan's scent wafting over from the river.

Dusk was approaching now. Thorncloud's belly rumbled; she hadn't eaten in hours. But now was not the time to go hunting. She slunk through the underbrush and circled around Sunningrocks, taking refuge under an overhanging rock. The river trickled past.

She waited. The sun set over the moorland in the distance – far past CloudClan's territory – and a gentle pattering of rain began to fall around her. Thorncloud huddled under the rock. The smells of the forest around her were dampened by the rainfall, and suddenly she felt very small, like a kit again.

Copperfur's words echoed in her mind over and over. _You're so selfish_. A tear pricked at the corner of her eye. She had always tried to put her clan first, had never broken the warrior code. For Copperfur to call her selfish… Perhaps he wasn't the noble cat she had looked up to.

Her belly twisted as she thought of Tigerfang, too. Her own sister seemed to find no problem in taking on an apprentice despite being so inexperienced. Would Rainstar accept Berryleaf's recommendation? She hoped not – of all the cats in the clan, Thorncloud respected Rainstar most of all.

A splash jogged her out of her thoughts. Her eyes widened as she saw a pair of dark-coloured ears emerge from the river – an enemy cat was headed right towards her! If it was a hostile RainClan warrior like Brookpelt….

Thorncloud prepared herself for a fight. She pressed herself against the rocks, praying the cat hadn't seen her yet. Then the cat's head lifted out of the river, and Thorncloud exhaled with relief. It was Cloudstorm.

The grey tips of her ears faded into a dirty white as she emerged. She pulled herself up onto the shore and shook her fur, which did little to dry it in the downpour. She padded straight towards the overhang, her blue eyes flashing at Thorncloud.

"You again," she said, shivering.

"I thought you might be Brookpelt," Thorncloud said, surprised at how willing Cloudstorm was t speak civilly with her.

"You're lucky I'm not," Cloudstorm snapped. She started furiously grooming herself, trying to make her disheveled fur lay down flat. "You'd be crowfood if I was. I'm with a patrol right now. I ran ahead when I saw you and said I'd check the markers by the river."

Thorncloud dipped her head thankfully. "I appreciate that, Cloudstorm."

"If you're looking for Bumblestripe, he's not with me," the she-cat continued, as if not hearing her.

"Cloudstorm, I need to speak with him." Thorncloud didn't disguise her desperation. "It's urgent."

"You promised to speak at the next Gathering – that's all."

"This can't wait," Thorncloud pressed. "Please. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Cloudstorm eyed her. Thorncloud tried not to flinch under her scrutiny. Finally, the warrior nodded. "Come tomorrow at sunhigh. I'll bring Bumblestripe here to meet you. And you better be alone."

Thorncloud sighed. "Trust me, I will be."

"Not going to bring that friend of yours?" Cloudstorm looked surprised.

"No," Thorncloud said somberly, her eyes on the ground.

Cloudstorm nodded. "Listen. Thorncloud, is it? I don't approve of this nonsense, but Bumblestripe is my closest friend. We trained together, so… I'd do anything to help him. But once this dream thing is sorted out, I don't want you to have anything to do with him. Is that clear?"

Thorncloud lifted her head, looking Cloudstorm in her bright blue eyes, and nodded. "I understand, Cloudstorm. I promise you that all of us will remain loyal to our clans."

"Good." Cloudstorm stood again, and padded towards the river's edge. "See you tomorrow, then."

Without another word, she lunged into the freezing river and swam to the other side. Once on the shore, she looked back once, nodded, and then plunged into the shelter of the reeds.


	6. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sunhigh couldn't come soon enough. Thorncloud busied herself all morning to avoid suspicion. She accompanied Windheart, Ivypaw, and Stoneclaw on the dawn patrol, checking the StormClan border. Mid-morning, she delivered a fat mouse that Ivypaw had caught to Blizzardpelt in the elders' den. He purred gratefully and invited her to join. The distraction was grateful; Blizzardpelt seemed happy now that he had less duties.

The sun climbed higher, and Thorncloud said an affectionate goodbye to him, saying she was off to hunt. As she approached the gorse tunnel, a voice called out to her from behind.

"Thorncloud! Wait up!" She turned to see Tigerfang bounding over to her. A feeling of dread fell over her. _Not now_ , she pleaded. But she forced herself to smile. "Are you going hunting?" Tigerfang asked.

"Er, yes," Thorncloud said.

"Can I come?"

"That's nice, Tigerfang, but… I really wanted to go alone today," Thorncloud said. "I've been busy all morning, and I'd just like some peace and quiet."

Tigerfang's face fell, and she scratched the dirt with one paw idly. "Oh, okay. I just thought, we haven't really hung out much since we both became warriors. But we can later."

Guilt tugged at Thorncloud's heart. _The one time Tigerfang wasn't being annoying…_ "I'm sorry, Tigerfang. Maybe tomorrow?"

Tigerfang perked up. "Okay, then. I'll go see if Berryleaf wants me for the afternoon patrol, then." She turned, brushing Thorncloud's face with her tail. "See ya later!" she called, bounding away towards the warriors' den.

Thorncloud let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and rushed out of the camp. Now she might be late, and she didn't want to feel Cloudstorm's wrath if she kept the RainClan warriors waiting.

By the time she reached Sunningrocks, she was out of breath. It had been a vigorous sprint, and she thanked StarClan that she was young and energized. Looking around to make sure no SnowClan cat was nearby, she snuck around the rocks.

Thankfully, Cloudstorm and Bumblestripe had not arrived yet. Thorncloud settled herself on the damp ground and waited. She watched the river nervously, praying to StarClan that another patrol wouldn't come by – from RainClan or SnowClan.

As time went on, her nerves turned to full-blown anxiety. What if they didn't show? She was about to stand and start searching the area to see if they were waiting somewhere else nearby, but then she saw two shapes slip out of the reeds across the river.

Bumblestripe swam towards her, Cloudstorm on his heels. The mottled tom emerged from the river and shook himself, then joined Thorncloud under the shelter of the rocks.

"Thanks for coming," Thorncloud said as Cloudstorm joined them.

"Sorry we're late," Bumblestripe huffed. "Brookpelt caught us leaving and started interrogating us. I thought for sure she wouldn't let us leave!"

"I told her we're finding herbs for Junipernose, so we don't have much time," Cloudstorm said. "I'll keep watch. You two talk – _quickly_ ," she added, looking at Thorncloud pointedly.

She went around the side of the small alcove and disappeared. Thorncloud looked at Bumblestripe. "I have news about the dream," she said.

"Did you have it again?" Bumblestripe asked, leaning in curiously.

"No," Thorncloud said. "But I have an idea of who the cat might be. I was talking to our medicine cat about it, and–"

"You told someone?" Bumblestripe interrupted, his fur bristling. "I thought we were going to keep this secret!"

"We never agreed to that," Thorncloud said. "And besides, I told Tallfeather before I even met you at Fourtrees. He suggested that if I recognized the scent of the cat, then it must be a cat who knew me, even if I didn't know her. And she smelled of SnowClan. I think it might be my mother." She shuffled her paws nervously. "She died when I was a young kit, so it makes sense I wouldn't recognize her voice, either."

Bumblestripe shook his head, unconvinced. "Why would _your_ mother speak to me as well?" he asked.

 _Oh_. Thorncloud had forgotten that important detail. "What about your mother?"

"My mother, Blossomheart, is still alive." Bumblestripe looked at her with hard eyes. "I'm sorry, but I just can't believe that your mother would communicate with me. I didn't know her. It must be someone else."

"But what cat has passed away that would know both of us?" Thorncloud asked, her heart sinking as she realized he was right. It wouldn't make sense for it to be her mother's voice. They sat in silence for a few moments, neither able to come up with a good answer.

The silence was broken by a hissing from above. "Stay back!" Cloudstorm's voice hissed. Bumblestripe and Thorncloud exchanged a look of panic, and both raced to join her on top of Sunningrocks.

Thorncloud's heart fell to her paws as she saw who Cloudstorm was speaking to. Tigerfang was perched, hissing, in a threatening attack pose by the base of Sunningrocks, her eyes locked on Cloudstorm. Bumblestripe raced to his clanmate's side.

"Tigerfang, stop!" Thorncloud called, rushing forward to place herself between her clanmate and the two RainClan cats.

Tigerfang looked up at her with murderous eyes. "Traitor!" she hissed. "Why are you meeting with… with _them_?"

"I'm not a traitor!" Thorncloud said, her eyes flashing dangerously as she stepped toward her sister. "Just listen to me –"

"They're trying to take over Sunningrocks! And you're _helping_ them!" Tigerfang yowled.

Thorncloud felt panic rising in her throat. If Tigerfang told the rest of the clan… "No, please listen to me, Tigerfang. Listen!" she walked down the rocks closer to her sister.

"Don't come any closer," Tigerfang said.

"Fine, fine," Thorncloud conceded. "But just listen to me. I'm _not_ helping RainClan take over Sunningrocks. Think logically, Tigerfang. What would I gain from doing that?"

Tigerfang just stared at her, but Thorncloud could see the uncertainty in her eyes.

Behind her, Cloudstorm said, "We were only talking." A growl rose in Tigerfang's throat. "Bumblestripe and I were hunting, and we came a bit too close to Sunningrocks by mistake when we were chasing a water vole. Thorncloud happened to see us, but she didn't attack."

Thorncloud looked over her shoulder, unable to mask her surprise. Cloudstorm was the one telling lies now? Cloudstorm met her gaze, pleading her with her eyes not to say anything. This wasn't only Thorncloud's reputation at stake; all three of them would get in trouble for this if anyone found they were meeting. Thorncloud nodded quietly, and turned back to Tigerfang.

"It's true," she said. "I was just talking to them to make sure they wouldn't come here again. _None_ of us want a fight," she added quickly.

"Then why was _she_ waiting up here?" Tigerfang asked.

"I heard someone coming, and I ran first to check who it was," Cloudstorm said. "It was a… a reflex."

Tigerfang's yellow eyes flickered between the three of them, but she was slowly rising out of her attack stance. Her gaze stayed on the two enemy warriors as she said, "Come on, Thorncloud. As soon as these two leave, I'm taking you straight to Rainstar." Thorncloud's eyes widened. "She'll decide what to do with you."

Lashing her tail angrily, she kept her eyes on Bumblestripe and Cloudstorm. Thorncloud turned to look at them as they hopped down off the rocks and raced for RainClan territory. They didn't dare look back, and soon, they were gone.

Thorncloud tried to meet Tigerfang's eyes, but her sister was turning away. "Hurry up," the tabby snapped, and stalked off into the trees. Thorncloud had no choice but to follow.

Tigerfang kept up a brisk pace on the way back to camp. She didn't say a single word. "Tigerfang…" Thorncloud said as she tried to keep up, "I know I shouldn't have been talking to those warriors. It was a lapse in judgment. _Please_ don't tell Rainstar. I'll do better!"

There was no response. Tigerfang leapt over a fallen log, and Thorncloud scrambled over after her. "Come on, Tigerfang! I've covered for you so many times in the past when you've broken rules. Why can't you cover for me just this once? I'm your sister!"

Tigerfang finally paused, whirling on Thorncloud. "Don't. Just _don't_ , okay? I may have broken rules as an apprentice, but I would _never_ have spoken to enemy warriors. And _you_ of all cats… I knew you were soft, but I never thought you'd betray the clan like this."

Before Thorncloud could reply, she sped off towards the ravine. Thorncloud held back tears as she ran after her, ready to be berated by Rainstar, and sentenced to some kind of punishment.

She tried not to think of what Rainstar might do as she descended into camp. Rainstar was a fair leader, she reminded herself. It would be okay.

Tigerfang lead her straight towards Rainstar's den below the Highrock, not stopping to be sidetracked. Thorncloud hung her head as she saw curious cats watching them, unable to meet their eyes. Once they heard, nobody in the clan would want to speak with her.

Outside of Rainstar's den, Tigerfang paused. She didn't even have to announce their presence before Rainstar's voice came from inside. "Come in," she called.

Thorncloud held her breath as Tigerfang pushed through the lichen that hung over the entrance. She followed her sister through, and saw Rainstar sitting in her mossy bedding, alone. At least Berryleaf wasn't here, she thought. The less cats that knew about this, the better.

"What can I do for you both today?" the leader asked, eyes flickering between them.

"Rainstar," Tigerfang began confidently, "Thorncloud has betrayed SnowClan! I found her with two RainClan warriors today at Sunningrocks!"

Rainstar sat up, as though interested, but she let nothing show on her face. Her piercing eyes trained on Thorncloud. "Is this true?" she asked.

"I would never betray my clan, Rainstar," Thorncloud insisted, meeting her leader's eyes to make sure there was no doubt of her loyalty.

"Then why does Tigerfang, your own sister, believe that you have?" Rainstar asked calmly.

Thorncloud pawed at the dirt nervously. "It's true that I was speaking with two RainClan warriors," she said, "but not because I was betraying the clan. I was trying to _help_ the clan."

That, at least, was true. Thorncloud hated lying to anyone – most of all Rainstar and Tigerfang – but how could she tell the old and noble leader that she was talking to Bumblestripe because of a _dream_? If Tallfeather had dismissed the dream, then Rainstar likely would, too. _No, I must keep that a secret_ , Thorncloud decided.

"Go on," Rainstar said.

Thorncloud repeated the lie she had given to Tigerfang. At least it made sense; every cat in SnowClan knew that Thorncloud was a brave fighter, but would rather resolve problems with sensible conversation first. She left Bumblestripe and Cloudstorm's names out of the story. She didn't want her leader to find a focus for attacking RainClan, if that's what she decided to do.

When Thorncloud was done, Rainstar looked thoughtful. "Tigerfang, I thank you for bringing Thorncloud straight here. That was the right thing to do." She nodded at the tabby, who raised her chin proudly. Then the leader's eyes turned on Thorncloud. "You were wrong not to come back to camp straight away, Thorncloud. I'm disappointed in you, but I admire your attempt to solve problems on your own. I am not praising you," she added when Thorncloud's mouth dropped open. "I am simply stating that you technically did no harm. But you still should have found myself or a senior warrior to deal with the issue."

"I'm sorry, Rainstar," Thorncloud said, her stomach churning with all of the lies. "It won't happen again."

"I'm sure it won't," Rainstar said. "As punishment, you will see to the elders' needs for the next few days. Anything they want, you will get for them. As well, you may not attend the next Gathering."

"What!" Thorncloud's eyes widened. How would she be able to talk to Bumblestripe again? At the leader's sharp look, she lowered her head dutifully. "I mean, of course, Rainstar. As you say."

"Good. You're dismissed, both of you."

Thorncloud padded slowly out of the den. Tigerfang ran ahead of her, and spent no time running off to the first warrior she could find to relay the news. Thorncloud's head shrank lower and lower as she hurried to the warriors' den and out of the sunlight.

Her perfect reputation was now tarnished. If StarClan had sent her such an important message, why would they punish her for trying to figure it out?

Thorncloud curled up in her nest. She noticed that Copperfur's nest had shifted to the other side of the den, instead of his old spot next to her. She bit back and sigh and laid her head on her paws. Everything was going wrong, and for the first time in her life, she didn't feel close to anybody in her clan.


	7. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Thorncloud went on with her punishment for three days and nights. She could barely stand the mocking glances from Tigerfang and Copperfur, as well as the shocked looked she received from the young apprentices who had previously looked up to her.

Crowpelt and Pinetail openly scorned her for her behaviour as she carried out tasks like changing their bedding, cracking their ticks, and clearing away their dirt. Whenever she chose the plumpest piece of prey, they loudly complained of how they were fading away to bones and fur. The only cat, it seemed, that was actually kind to her was Blizzardpelt.

The once-deputy kindly thanked her every time she completed a task. He didn't challenge the other elders, but Thorncloud knew it was only because they were senior to him, and he didn't want to be disrespectful. She would have loved to sit and talk to him, but if she lingered even a moment too long in the elders' den, Crowpelt would complain of how they had no room to breathe with her there.

Most surprising of all was her lack of attention from Tallfeather. She sensed that the medicine cat was still tense over their discussion in the forest, and honestly, Thorncloud was not keen to forgive him. But she still missed his warm smile and his wise words.

On the fourth day, Rainstar told Thorncloud that her punishment was over. She returned to her warrior duties, though she did notice Berryleaf lingering suspiciously close to her whenever she was around camp, and he always seemed to be on the same patrols as her.

Newleaf was now alive with greenery. The days got warmer, and the nights got shorter. Thorncloud did her best to prove to her clan that she was loyal, but even though she worked tirelessly, joining every border patrol and hunting patrol she could, she still caught cats looking at her with distrust.

Copperfur wasn't speaking to her. Tigerfang turned her back whenever Thorncloud approached. Tallfeather was busy replenishing his stores, and didn't take time to chat with her when he was free. Thorncloud began to feel truly alone in her clan.

The night of the Gathering, Thorncloud watched, alone, as Rainstar joined her party of warriors by the gorse tunnel. Tigerfang was going, of course, along with Blizzardpelt, Pinetail, Crowpelt, Windheart, all three apprentices, Berryleaf and Copperfur.

As soon as the last tail disappeared through the tunnel, the camp felt unusually quiet. Thorncloud cast her gaze around. She and Stoneclaw were the only warriors left. Foxtail and Springfoot were out hunting, and would likely return soon. The elders' nest was empty, but Barktail and Rosewhisker sat in the door of the nursey, watching as Leafkit and Daisykit played.

There was a shuffle by the medicine den, and Tallfeather emerged. He looked around the camp tiredly; Thorncloud guessed he must have just woken up. His eyes fell on her, and her ears perked up when he began padding over to her.

"Thorncloud," he said quietly, settling down in front of her. "You must wish you were among them tonight." He flicked his tail towards the gorse tunnel.

"Yes, of course," Thorncloud said. "But I respect Rainstar's decision to leave me behind."

Tallfeather nodded. He lowered his voice so that it was nearly a whisper; he clearly didn't want anyone else to overhear. "For what it's worth, Thorncloud, I know you would never betray the clan. The others are acting like you committed a great crime by stopping a fight. I don't agree with how you handled the problem, but I understand it."

Thorncloud relaxed her shoulders. She hadn't realized how tense she had become, and how much Tallfeather's opinion mattered to her. But there was another gleam in his eye. "There's something else," she said.

"Yes," Tallfeather sighed. "It's about what you asked me several days ago, on our way to Twolegplace."

Thorncloud tensed again. "What is it?"

"You never explained why you asked about two cats having the same dream," he said, watching her intently, as if trying to gauge her reaction.

Thorncloud tried not to betray anything in her expression. "I'm sorry, Tallfeather, but I can't tell you," she said. "I've done enough damage with all of this prophecy talk. I don't want you to get upset with me."

There was sympathy in his eyes among the flicker of disappointment. "I'm sorry that I made you feel like your dreams weren't important," he said. "But you have to understand, my priorities are very different right now. Maybe when the clan has strengthened a bit in the coming weeks…"

"Don't worry about it." Thorncloud shrugged, and padded closer to give him a thankful lick. She settled down beside him, glad to have another cat's presence.

They shared tongues and swapped stories for the remainder of the night, waiting for the cats to return from the Gathering. Foxtail and Springfoot soon arrived with fresh-kill, and a calmness spread through Thorncloud's body. Things almost felt normal again.

Springfoot came over with a rabbit, intent on joining them. Foxtail turned away and marched towards the nursery, casting a glare in their direction. Thorncloud hadn't spoken to Springfoot in some time, and was happy to see her face.

"May I join you?" the dark brown tabby meowed after setting down the rabbit.

"Of course," Tallfeather purred.

She cast a loving glance to Thorncloud. Springfoot was her foster mother, and had taken care of her after Thorncloud's own mother had died. She had lost one of her own kits at the same time she gave birth to Tigerfang, and so the two tiny she-cats had become sisters.

Thorncloud looked up to Springfoot like a mother, and saw Tigerfang as her sister by blood. Until recently, she had thought that Tigerfang thought of her that way, too, but perhaps she had been wrong.

"Sorry I haven't been so friendly lately," Springfoot said sheepishly, pushing the rabbit towards Thorncloud as she settled down. "Berryleaf has been keeping me busy, I think intentionally to keep me away from you. The pile of mouse-dung."

"Don't talk about the clan deputy like that," Tallfeather said, but his tone was teasing, and there was a playful glint in his eye.

"It isn't just him, either. Tigerfang practically begged me not to talk to you." Springfoot looked annoyed at her daughter's interference. Thorncloud leaned down to take a bite of the rabbit as her foster mother continued, "I think all of this is such nonsense. You haven't broken any rules." She started grooming behind Thorncloud's ears, as if she was a tiny kit again.

Thorncloud let her. It felt nice to be coddled, for once. "Thank you," she said. "At least I have two friends."

"More than friends," Springfoot scoffed between licks, and Thorncloud suddenly felt very warm with embarrassment. Her eyes flickered to Tallfeather, but by the passive look on his face, she realized that Springfoot had only meant herself being Thorncloud's foster mother. Thorncloud quickly looked to the ground.

Lately she had come to terms with the realization that her affection for Tallfeather was not just in terms of friendship. The large tom was wise, and kind… and also very handsome. But Thorncloud kept these feelings to herself. She knew nothing could happen between them, as medicine cats were forbidden to have kits.

She was saved any lingering questions by the arrival of the rest of the clan returning from the Gathering. She, Springfoot, and Tallfeather all got to their paws, eager to hear news.

It became apparent that the news was not good. The SnowClan cats were bristling as they entered the camp. Rainstar went straight to her den, followed by Berryleaf. Tigerfang ran towards them, apparently her quarrel with Thorncloud forgotten.

"Stupid RainClan!" she spat angrily.

"What happened?" Springfoot asked, hurrying worriedly to her daughter's side to calm her.

"Goldenstar openly challenged SnowClan for Sunningrocks," came Windheart, sulking along behind Tigerfang. "He said that if Rainstar doesn't hand them over in two nights, they'll attack us!"

Thorncloud's paws shook despite sitting firmly on the ground. _If Bumblestripe and Cloudstorm are at the battle…_ she thought warily. She couldn't bear the thought of Bumblestripe being injured, or worse, when they still needed to figure out the meaning of their dream.

"Rainstar said she would address the clan about it tomorrow morning," Tigerfang said. "I guess she has to figure out what we're going to do. But I hope we fight!" She bared her teeth. "I'm ready to flay those stupid RainClan warriors!"

The camp stayed alive with excitement over the prospect of a fight as the moon began to lower in the sky. Thorncloud retreated to the warriors' den, unable to share in her clanmates' excitement.

Something, she knew, was resting on the fate of her figuring out this dream. What it was, she didn't know… but she _did_ know that it would test her loyalty to her clan if she met Bumblestripe in battle.


	8. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **(Quick note: Sorry for all of the typos in previous chapters! I'm a fast typer and often don't notice when I make mistakes. I'm in the process of going through and editing them now, and I'll try to be more diligent at editing in the future!)**

The morning after the Gathering, it seemed that all of SnowClan was waiting in anticipation for Rainstar to address them about Sunningrocks. Even the elders were out of their den. From her spot near Tallfeather's den, Thorncloud could see Crowpelt glancing towards the Highrock every few moments, despite Pinetail chattering away in his ear.

Tallfeather tapped her haunches with his tail from where he sat beside her. "Stop squirming," he said. "You're stressing _me_ out."

"Sorry." Thorncloud couldn't stop glancing around the clearing. The talk of Sunningrocks had at least taken the attention off her, and no one but Copperfur seemed to be looking at her with anger today. The russet tom was huddled with Stoneclaw on the far side of the clearing, deep in conversation, but his eyes kept flickering to her.

Finally, when the sun was halfway to its height, Rainstar emerged from her den with Berryleaf. Every cat in the clearing stood and padded closer to the Highrock. Rainstar seemed to understand that the entire clan was already gathered, so she didn't bother to call her usual summons.

Thorncloud and Tallfeather padded closer as their leader began to speak. "Cats of SnowClan," Rainstar began, looking down on all of them with her cold gaze. "You have all heard of Goldenstar's threats to take back Sunningrocks. He warned us that if we do not comply, he and his warriors will strike tomorrow."

An agitated grumble rippled through the clan. Tigerfang hissed loudly and lashed her tail.

"As you should all know by now," Rainstar said, "we will _not_ agree to give up Sunningrocks."

Yowls of approval rose up from the crowd. "Sunningrocks belongs to SnowClan!" yelled Foxtail.

Rainstar nodded and waited for the noise to die down. When all was quiet, she said, "My time since we returned last night has been dedicated to figuring out how we will address this problem. I have decided, with Berryleaf's consultation, that we will not wait for Goldenstar to strike. We will attack tonight."

A clamor of support arose from most of the cats, but Thorncloud felt a sense of dread deep inside her chest. Rainstar leapt off the Highrock, and Berryleaf began to assign duties. The elders and queens returned to their dens, Barktail dragging her kits along behind her.

"Tigerfang, Copperfur, Stoneclaw, Owlpaw, you'll join Rainstar and I in the first attack wave," he began.

Thorncloud sprang to her paws. "Wait! Berryleaf, can I come?" she asked.

Eyes turned on Thorncloud, and she used every bit of her will not to shrink. Rainstar, who had been padding back to her den, turned around in curiosity to listen.

"Please," she pressed, lifting her shoulders to appear taller. "I'd like to reinforce to the clan just how loyal I am by being among the first to strike."

Berryleaf looked to Rainstar uncertainly. The leader considered Thorncloud for a moment, and then nodded.

Berryleaf's ears twitched. "Yes, alright. You can come instead of Copperfur," he said. Copperfur opened his mouth to protest, but Berryleaf silenced him with a swish of his tail. "Copperfur, you can lead the second wave. Take Foxtail, Windheart, and Springfoot with you, as well as Twigpaw and Ivypaw. Tallfeather." He gaze landed on the medicine cat, who was waiting patiently for instructions. "Come with the second wave; by then, you'll be needed for treating the wounded."

Tallfeather dipped his head, and turned to return to his den, presumably to prepare for the coming battle.

"That leaves no warriors left in camp," Springfoot pointed out.

Berryleaf didn't even blink. "I'm aware. The elders and queens will be fine here; they are still formidable fighters, and can defend themselves."

Thorncloud frowned. "What about Sunstream?" she asked.

"Sunstream?" Berryleaf scoffed. "The RainClan traitor? He wouldn't dare come here."

"He hasn't even been scented on our territory," Windheart said. "At the Gathering, nobody mentioned seeing him."

"But if he attacks our camp..." Thorncloud said. She wasn't sure it was safe to leave the queens and elders alone normally, let alone with rogues on the loose.

"Fine, I see your point," Berryleaf conceded. A cloud of worry flitted across his face. "Windheart, you and Ivypaw stay back. But that's all. We don't have warriors to spare. We'll be so close to RainClan's camp that we'll need as many warriors as possible."

Everybody nodded, seeming satisfied. Berryleaf began assigning hunting parties for the morning and afternoon, to keep the clan well-fed before their battle. Thorncloud padded away, her head swirling with conflicting thoughts.

She had no idea what would happen if she came face to face with Bumblestripe or Cloudstorm. It gnawed at her all day. She tried to take a nap to get up her strength before eveningfall, but as hard as she tried, sleep would not come. She was not sure that they could win this fight. RainClan was strong, even though they had lost some warriors when Sunstream departed. SnowClan would have the element of surprise, but even so, they were bound to be outnumbered.

By the time the sun had begun to sink towards the horizon, Thorncloud was shivering head to toe. It was not cold; she was anxious, and drew the stares of other cats as she padded towards Tallfeather's den on shaky paws.

As soon as she entered, Tallfeather looked up from a thick pile of herbs he had gathered, presumably to bring to the attack. He frowned when he saw her. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You look like you've been to Highstones and back!"

"I–I'm nervous," Thorncloud admitted, her tail twitching uncontrollably. "This will be my first fight since the quarrel with StormClan… and I just know that everybody's waiting to see me fail, and–"

"Thorncloud." Tallfeather's soothing voice fell over her like a warm blanket. He looked at her with soft eyes. "Wait here." He disappeared into his herb stores for only a moment, and returned with a long, thin plant between his teeth. He laid it down at her feet. "Chew on this," he instructed. "It's thyme. It'll help ease your nerves."

Thorncloud dipped her head and sniffed the plant suspiciously, but did as she was told. She chewed it, and she wasn't sure if it was the thyme or Tallfeather's presence, but she already began to feel better.

When she was done, Tallfeather leaned in close and nuzzled her cheek with his own. Thorncloud was surprised by the display of affection, but she leaned into his touch happily. A purr escaped her.

"I'm sorry I can't be more than a friend to you," he whispered. "I care for you deeply, Thorncloud, and I don't want you to get hurt."

Thorncloud licked his shoulder, which was all she could reach due to the tom's height. "I'll be okay," she said, unsure if she was reassuring him or herself. "Thank you for the thyme."

Tallfeather leaned back, and looked into her eyes. "If the clan is smart, they'll see you're just as loyal as you've always been. You're one of SnowClan's best young warriors."

Thorncloud purred at his praise, but ceased as her stomach twisted in guilt. She had still not told him about Bumblestripe and Cloudstorm. "Tallfeather–"

"SnowClan warriors!" Berryleaf's call from outside cut her off. "Gather by the tunnel!"

Thorncloud cast one last glance at Tallfeather, and he encouraged her with a nod. "See you soon," he said; a promise. "May all of StarClan go with you."

"And you," she said quickly, and then slipped out of the medicine den towards the gorse tunnel.

The first wave of cats was already gathered around Berryleaf, the second sitting farther back. Rainstar sat closest to the tunnel, Berryleaf at her side. As Thorncloud arrived, the leader lifted her head. "We will strike near the heart of RainClan – their camp. The second wave will hang back and wait for the signal, then join us. I remind you all that this is not a fight to the death. We are trying to take Sunningrocks back, and we must act honourably."

Foxtail yowled in agreement, and the other cats joined him. "Good!" Rainstar said, raising her voice over the noise. "Then let's go, and show RainClan who Sunningrocks belongs to!"

The warriors rushed for the tunnel. Thorncloud made sure to stay close behind Rainstar and Berryleaf at the front. The group of cats slunk silently through the trees. The sun was setting, and soon the RainClan evening patrol would be departing. Rainstar led them away from Sunningrocks, farther south to where there were several stepping stones that led across the river and into RainClan territory.

Rainstar allowed each cat to cross the river before pausing on the riverbank, her icy eyes glinting in the moonlight. She kept her voice low so that each cat had to strain to hear her words. "RainClan camp is surrounded by water," she said. "We will hide outside the camp and wait for the patrol to emerge. They will be caught off guard, and their cats will be trapped inside camp. We'll see them coming across the moat, and we'll be prepared."

All cats nodded. This close to the RainClan camp, no one dared to raise their voice. Thorncloud took a steadying breath, remembering Tallfeather's words. _They'll see you're just as loyal as you've always been_. She continued through the reeds.

A quiet din reached Thorncloud's ears as the water surrounding the camp came into view. The trickle of the stream, the shuffling of paws, and chatter from the cats within the camp walls told her that their enemy clan was settling down for the night.

Rainstar flicked her tail, and the first attack wave fell into position. Thorncloud ducked into the shelter of a shrub, lying in wait until the time came to attack. She knew that the second wave of warriors were stationed nearby, ready to pounce when their leader gave the signal.

The sun cast brilliant swaths of colour across the sky. Orange, yellow, and pink shimmered overhead. Sunset was upon them now. The patrol would be leaving the safety of the camp any moment. Thorncloud's fur prickled, and she wished Tallfeather was there to give her another branch of thyme.

The scent of RainClan cats reached her nose. Her heart clenched as she recognized the cats in the patrol – Pebblefoot, the massive white and grey tom was among them; Brookpelt, the RainClan deputy; Mottledfur, a senior warrior; and – Thorncloud's heart clenched – Cloudstorm. Thorncloud didn't know what she would do if she had to meet the familiar she-cat in battle.

It was a strong force, too. A moment passed, where Thorncloud heard the four warriors splashing through the water to leave camp. Three sets of pawsteps walked on, while one stopped.

"Wait," came the voice of Pebblefoot. Thorncloud pictured his face as she had seen him only a moon ago at the Gathering. "I smell SnowCl-"

His rumbling voice was overpowered by the battle cry of Rainstar as she leapt from the reeds. "SnowClan, attack!" she called, and Thorncloud pounced from the safety of the bush.

She found herself a fox-length away from Brookpelt, and all sense of doubt inside her vanished. Now _this_ was a cat she could deal with fighting. Rearing back on her haunches, she sprung towards the smoke-furred deputy, who was frozen in shock at the sudden attack and didn't see Thorncloud coming.

The two she-cats tumbled over one another, Thorncloud digging her nails into the other cat's fur. Around her, the battle had begun. Rainstar was tussling with Pebblefoot, who must have been twice her size, not far away.

"SnowClan!" Brookpelt snarled, recovering quickly from her shock. She swatted at Thorncloud's head, but Thorncloud saw the attack coming and pulled her head back just in time for Brookpelt's claws to swipe at the air. Thorncloud dashed aside and Brookpelt scrambled to her paws.

The other cat pounced, but Thorncloud rolled aside. Brookpelt landed in the dirt and Thorncloud jumped on her back and pinned her down, giving a warning bite to the back of her neck. The RainClan deputy howled and rushed back towards her camp.

As she watched the deputy run, she saw that the entrance to the camp was now crowded with other RainClan warriors who had rushed to assist at the first sounds of attack – but Rainstar had been right. The crowded path was blocked. Rainstar howled and the second wave of cats crashed through the reeds to join the fight.

Thorncloud looked around wildly. There was Tigerfang, fighting with Mottledfur. Berryleaf and Owlpaw had cornered Cloudstorm, but she seemed to be faring alright even against two attackers. Stoneclaw had a warrior Thorncloud didn't recognize pinned down, and more cats still battled around them.

Rainstar had moved on from Pebblefoot, who was now locked in a fight with Foxtail. The SnowClan leader was grappling with a golden tom that Thorncloud instantly recognized as Goldenstar.

There was a flash out of the corner of her eye, but Thorncloud reacted too late; a mass barreled into her side, and she went sprawling into the branches of a bush with the cat who had attacked her. Sharp twigs tore at her pelt and leaves blocked her vision. Thorncloud slashed furiously at the mystery cat – only to realize that whoever it was wasn't fighting back. She blinked at the cat pinning her down and gasped. It was Bumblestripe.

"Thorncloud, stop clawing me!" the tortoiseshell warrior hissed.

"Bumblestripe! Why did you attack me?"

"Because I wanted to know why you weren't at the Gathering," he said quietly, making sure no other cat could hear. They were hidden from the rest of the battle now. "We were supposed to talk about the –"

"I know," Thorncloud mewed hastily. "I'm sorry. I got in trouble for our last meeting at Sunningrocks and I wasn't allowed to go."

He flinched away from a leaf that tickled his nose and shook his head. "I had the dream again," Bumblestripe said, and winced as they both heard the screech of an injured cat on the other side of their leafy canopy. Thorncloud's breath quickened. _Why had StarClan spoken to Bumblestripe again and not her?_

"You were right," he continued, "the cat was definitely from SnowClan. I just can't imagine why a SnowClan cat that I don't know would deliver a message to me."

Thorncloud groaned under the weight of him, wishing he could stop pinning her down, as if she was going to escape the conversation. "Can you get off of me, you great lump?" she wheezed.

Bumblestripe blinked. "Whoops," he said, and stepped back to let her sit. They huddled close together to speak, and Thorncloud glanced around as if another cat could crash through the bushes any second and catch them. "We can't stay here. We need to meet again soon," he said, as if reading her mind.

"Not at Sunningrocks," Thorncloud said quickly. "No matter how this turns out, it'll be crawling with cats from both our clans for moons."

"There's a huge willow tree on the east side of the riverbank, near the stepping stones," Bumblestripe said. Thorncloud nodded; she knew the one. "Its branches should hide us, and most patrols don't tend to check there often."

"Tomorrow night at moonhigh," Thorncloud said quickly. She was getting restless. If any cat noticed her absence for this long, there would be questions. "Okay, now scratch me," she ordered.

Bumblestripe blinked at her. "Excuse me?"

"You think any cat's going to believe you and I fought in here if we come out without any marks?" Thorncloud demanded. "Scratch me!"

Bumblestripe looked unsure. Thorncloud was going to make the demand again when he lashed out, drawing a strike across her cheek. Thorncloud grit her teeth, but didn't make a sound, not wanting to appear weak. "Good one," she grumbled. Blood trickled into her mouth, and she spat. "Now your turn."

"I'm good," Bumblestripe said, and lifted a hind leg to deliver a claw mark across his own side. He winced, but gave no other indication of his pain. Thorncloud would have been impressed, except she had been looking forward to paying him back for her new wound.

Blood welled at the scratches, but it didn't appear too deep. "See you tomorrow night," he said in parting, and leapt from the cover of the bush into the thick of the fight.

Thorncloud waited a few moments, her mind racing. Bumblestripe had taken a risk, talking to her while the heat of battle raged around them. She took a deep breath, and launched herself out of the bush.

Almost instantly, another cat jumped on top of her. Thorncloud felt claws digging into her shoulders. The scent of RainClan filled her nose. She rolled over onto her back, and though she was fairly small compared to the tom, he rolled over with her, and yowled as she pressed him to the ground.

Thorncloud turned over to face the cat, and recognized Creekbelly, a seasoned warrior with brown fur and a white underbelly. His dark brown muzzle faced her as he kicked and squirmed. Thorncloud clutched him with her forepaws and used her hind legs to rake against his exposed belly.

Sticky blood seeped on to her claws and Creekbelly flung her off of him. The wind was knocked out of her as she landed squarely on her back. By the time she got to her paws, Creekbelly was limping back towards his camp.

Casting a look around, Thorncloud gasped for breath. She saw Rainstar and Stoneclaw had Goldenstar pinned down. He thrashed wildly at them but was unable to release himself from their grip.

"Do you surrender?" Rainstar yelled, even as the fight continued around them.

"Never!" Goldenstar hissed, and bared his teeth.

Rainstar raised her claws, ready to strike at him, but suddenly froze in place as a horrifying scream ripped through the air.

It was as if time itself had frozen. Every cat stopped their quarrel to look towards the source of the scream. Thorncloud followed their gaze, and her eyes widened in terror as she saw Tigerfang hunched over another cat. Something dripped from her face. _Blood_. For a moment, Thorncloud thought the scream had come from her sister – until Tigerfang backed away from the other cat, tripping over her own paws in haste.

Thorncloud's eyes fell on the cat lying motionless. A familiar smoky pelt made her gasp.

It was Brookpelt. The RainClan deputy was dead.


	9. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

As if a switch had been flipped, the battle was over. Thorncloud could feel the tension building in the air as Goldenstar pushed Rainstar and Stoneclaw off of him. They didn't bother to stop him; it was clear that there was no more fighting to be done. The RainClan leader padded closed to the form of the motionless deputy but stopped several fox-lengths away.

Thorncloud saw Tigerfang hunched in the bushes nearby, and though she couldn't see her sister's face, she could hear a distinctive retching sound. A sour scent filled the air, mingled with the stench of blood.

Goldenstar whipped his head around, his eyes blazing with fury. "Take your warriors away from here," he spat at Rainstar. "Keep Sunningrocks; this fight is not worth the lives of noble cats."

Thorncloud looked at her clan leader. Where Goldenstar's eyes were alive with fire, hers were an icy chill. "SnowClan. With me," she ordered, and headed away from the scene, back towards the river.

Slowly, as the shock subsided, the SnowClan cats followed her. Thorncloud watched as the RainClan warriors began converging on their fallen deputy, touching noses to her pelt and saying their goodbyes. Several warriors, among them Cloudstorm, whose pelt was stained with drying blood, grabbed hold of her to carry back to their camp.

A sudden flare of rage bubbled in Thorncloud's chest as she headed after her clanmates. Even after what Rainstar had said to them, Tigerfang had killed Brookpelt. Thorncloud couldn't imagine singlehandedly sending another cat to StarClan, even in a serious battle, let alone for a border dispute. This was the second time this had happened from SnowClan lately – first Woodstar's death in the fight with StormClan, and now this.

By the river, Thorncloud caught sight of Tallfeather struggling to carry several unused herbs. Wordlessly she moved to his side and took some of them. His eyes flashed thankfully at her and she just nodded, following him and the other cats back to camp in silence.

When they reached camp, the cats filed through the gorse tunnel. Thorncloud heard Windheart's voice rising up from inside. "Back already?" she asked.

The tunnel opened to the clearing, and Thorncloud followed Tallfeather to his den as the other cats began to explain what had happened. Thorncloud wasn't in the mood to hear the recounting of the tale; her fur was still bristling at the thought of Tigerfang.

She set down the herbs in the middle of Tallfeather's den. He set down his own mouthful of herbs and flicked his tail to gesture her closer. "Come here," he said, shuffling through the herbs until he picked up one and began to chew it. He spat out the paste and daubed his paw in the mixture, then raised it up to dab on her cheek. "That looks like it hurt," he said softly.

"Only a little," Thorncloud said. It might have hurt more, if she wasn't so distracted by their proximity.

"It might leave a scar," he warned.

"That's fine," Thorncloud said through gritted teeth as the cut began to sting.

A moment of silence passed between them. "Did you see what happened?" Tallfeather all but whispered.

"No," Thorncloud said. "But… _StarClan_ , she practically ripped out Brookpelt's throat!"

"We don't know the full story yet," Tallfeather said.

"Oh, you think she just accidentally killed the RainClan deputy?" Thorncloud snapped. "My own sister… I can't believe it!"

Tallfeather's eyes shifted away, and he stepped back. "I'm sure she'll received her due punishment," he mumbled, and stalked away to his herb stores. Thorncloud watched him go, thinking that he might return; but after several moments passed, she realized that he wasn't. She turned and left the den, her cheek throbbing uncomfortably.

Every cat had gathered under the Highrock. Rainstar stood over them, and Tigerfang huddled at the base of the rock with Berryleaf at her side. _Guarding her, probably,_ Thorncloud thought bitterly.

"Sunningrocks remains part of SnowClan's territory, but at a great cost," Rainstar was saying, her eyes staring coldly at Tigerfang. "What have you to say in your defence, Tigerfang?"

Tigerfang shivered, and her eyes darted around. "I–I didn't m-mean to kill her," she stammered. "It was t-the heat of the battle, and… I meant to give her a warning bite to the back of her neck." Tigerfang blinked, seeming to regain some of her confidence. She dug her claws into the earth. "Brookpelt flipped over at the last moment, and I bit her throat instead. I must have bit too h-hard, and…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't repair the damage you've done," Rainstar said. "RainClan won't forget this in a hurry. We must keep on our guard, in case they strike us in revenge. Berryleaf, double the patrols along the border just in case. And as for your punishment, Tigerfang…"

The angry warriors of SnowClan started shouting ideas.

"Banish her!"

"Give her extra patrols!"

"Make her care for the elders!"

Voices overlapped as cats shouted different punishments. Rainstar closed her eyes and sighed, waiting for the commotion to die down. Thorncloud could only stare at Tigerfang. The thin level of trust she had for her foster sister was crumbling away by the second.

Rainstar's tail flicked irritably, and the clearing fell silent. "Tigerfang, you are clearly not experienced enough to possess a warrior's duties. For the foreseeable future, you will return to sleeping in the apprentices' den, carry out apprentice duties, and all cats will refer to you as your warrior name, Tigerpaw." She paused, as if waiting for a protest, but nobody raised their voice. It was a cruel, and fitting punishment. "Your former mentor, Stoneclaw, will accompany you wherever you go and report your progress back to me. Once he and I feel that you have learned your lesson, you will be reinstated as a warrior. Is this clear?"

Tigerfang – Tiger _paw_ now – looked up at her leader with contempt. Thorncloud saw her fur bristle slightly. "Yes, Rainstar," she said, and looked at the ground.

"Good. This meeting is over." Rainstar jumped down from the Highrock and went directly to her den. The throng of cats began to break up, muttering to one another. Thorncloud made her way to the warriors' den, unable to stomach the idea of speaking to any cat.

She curled up in her nest among the other warriors. Across the den, Copperfur met her eyes, and pointedly turned away. Her sister's usual spot was cold and empty next to her. Springfoot was curled up near the centre, Foxtail at her side; Windheart was still out guarding the camp, and Berryleaf must have been with her. Stoneclaw padded into the den last, shaking his head to himself. Thorncloud wondered how he felt about his former apprentice, but she didn't have the energy to ask.

She rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes. Despite the cats around her, Thorncloud felt completely and utterly alone.

The first thing that Thorncloud felt when she woke up was an itch like fire on her cheek. She was about to scratch it when she remembered her injury. Her stomach was rumbling, but she ignored this for the time being and left the warriors' den, immediately heading over to see Tallfeather.

The bundle of herbs she had left behind in the centre of the den were gone when she entered. To her chagrin, Copperfur was sitting in their place, cobwebs wrapped around one of his front paws and plastered to his flank. He looked up when she entered and instantly narrowed his eyes.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he sneered.

"Nothing of your concern," Thorncloud said, not giving any of her annoyance away. "Is Tallfeather here?"

Copperfur just flicked his tail towards the herb storage area. As he did so, the calico tom emerged with a few leaves in his jaws. He nodded at Thorncloud, and placed the leaves by Copperfur's side. "Chew those up, Copperfur, and put them on your wounds. As for your paw, there's not much else I can do for you. Just keep your weight off it, it should heal up in a few days."

Copperfur just stared at him. "You want me to apply it myself?" he asked.

Tallfeather nodded. "Yes, Copperfur. You can manage that, can't you?" His mocking tone made Thorncloud bite back a snicker. "If you don't mind, I have another patient to help out."

"Right, because a tiny scratch is more important than a senior warrior's hunting tools," Copperfur grumbled, getting to his paws and limping out of the den. "Really impressive how you managed to escape the battle barely without a scratch, Thorncloud. I wonder how that happened?" he said as he brushed past her and out into the clearing.

As soon as he was gone, Thorncloud let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "He's so annoying," she muttered.

"You two used to be close," Tallfeather commented, a clear look of surprise in his eyes. "What happened?"

Thorncloud shook her head. "He got angry with me when I told him I didn't have, um... feelings for him," she said, feeling awkward discussing this with _Tallfeather_ of all cats.

Was it just her, or was the medicine cat bristling? He just let out a _hmph_ , his eyes narrowed slightly, and Thorncloud had to suppress a smile. "Are you jealous, Tallfeather?" she teased.

"No."

"Good. You don't need to be." She moved closer to him and her cheek twitched. "Now please tell me you have something for itchiness. This is killing me!" she complained.

"I've got just the thing," Tallfeather assured her, and fetched a plant from his stores. "This should soothe it."

When he was done, Thorncloud purred and thanked him. Tallfeather rested his chin on her head, and she could hear him purring, too. "Rude as he was, Copperfur was right. You're lucky to get away from that fight without many wounds," he murmured.

Guilt rose in her throat, but Thorncloud pushed it away. "Yeah," she whispered. "I'm glad you weren't hurt. I didn't even see you."

Tallfeather pulled back, and his eyes were sparkling. "A medicine cat can be invisible when he wants to," he said. "You should probably go. You're fit for any kind of patrol that Berryleaf might throw at you today."

"Yay," Thorncloud said, her monotone voice making Tallfeather laugh.

"Go on."

"Alright, alright. Thank you, Tallfeather."

"Any time."


	10. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Thorncloud had the whole day to worry about her meeting with Bumblestripe that night. Over and over in her mind she planned out her route to the old willow tree. She made sure to mention to anyone who asked that she was longing to take a walk that night to clear her head after the RainClan fight. Windheart nodded her head, saying that they all needed some time to process it. Stoneclaw warned her to watch out for RainClan patrols, and Berryleaf purred with amusement and said he'd make sure not to put her on the dawn patrol so she could rest up afterwards.

Due to her minimal injuries (which she couldn't help feeling slightly guilty about), Berryleaf ended up asking her to go out hunting twice that day. The clan needed to strengthen, and that meant bellies needed to be full. She went out with the deputy and Owlpaw, his apprentice, in the morning, and in the afternoon she accompanied Foxtail and Springfoot. Both groups brought back an impressive haul of fresh-kill, and the clan began to relax again after the eventful night.

When dusk finally came, Thorncloud sat to eat with Springfoot. Their spirits were high after successful hunting, but Thorncloud sensed a sadness in her foster mother's eyes. It was easy to tell why. The dark brown tabby's eyes kept drifting over to the apprentices' den, and Thorncloud knew that she was thinking of Tigerfang, and her temporary name of Tigerpaw.

They each nibbled on a meal, and Springfoot had a distant look in her eyes. Thorncloud cleared her throat. All day she had been trying to talk to her foster mother, but with Foxtail on the hunting patrol with them, they hadn't gotten a moment alone. Now, sitting by the nettle patch, she finally had her chance.

"Springfoot?" she meowed quietly. "I was wondering… could you tell me about my birth mother?"

As Thorncloud had anticipated, the faraway look left Springfoot's eyes, and she turned to look at Thorncloud with the most attentiveness she had had all day. "Your mother?" she asked, surprised. Thorncloud had never asked about her birth mother, even as a kit. Once she had understood that her mother was dead, she hadn't wanted to know that much about her. Until now.

"Yes. I've been thinking about her lately," Thorncloud said. She hated lying, especially to Springfoot who had cared for her so deeply, so she made sure to choose her words carefully so that every syllable was truth. "What was she like?" she asked.

Springfoot's eyes softened. "Oh, Thorncloud. Your mother was beautiful," she purred. Memories seemed to flow through her. "Starflower was a very popular cat," she said, the words tumbling from her mouth like a river. "She was always noble, even as an apprentice, and never broke a rule. Her own mother must have sensed her potential even at birth. By naming her Starkit, she was destined for greatness. Everyone loved her." Her eyes fell to her paws, her smile fading. "She died too soon."

"How did she die?" Thorncloud asked, her voice a whisper.

Springfoot sighed. "She got very sick, a couple moons after you were born. The birth itself went fine, but…" She shook her head. "Some thought she was really sick, because she was constantly sick and couldn't stomach any fresh-kill. She slept all day, only waking to feed you. But I suspect her poor health partly had to do with grief."

"Grief?" Thorncloud repeated, surprised.

Springfoot paused to take a bite of squirrel. She chewed slowly, thoughtfully, and her eyes were full of sorrow. She finally swallowed and looked at Thorncloud. "Nobody ever told you, did they? About the other kit?"

The bewilderment in Thorncloud's eyes must have been enough of an answer. "Starflower gave birth to two kits, Thorncloud," Springfoot went on. "You were both healthy, you know. But something happened – nobody really knows what. One day your mother woke up and you were there, but the other kit was gone."

Now grief clutched at Thorncloud's chest. She felt as if she was suffocating.

Springfoot went on, "There was a hole in the nursery wall. We suspected it might've been a fox, or maybe the little kit just wandered off on his own when he saw an opening. Or maybe a hawk got him. I don't think we'll ever know what happened." She shook her head. "Starflower was never the same after. She got sick, and just like that, she was gone."

Thorncloud's throat felt tight. She sniffed. "W-What was my brother's name?" she asked.

"He didn't have one," Springfoot said. "Your mother was taking a great deal of time to choose; she wanted you both to have the perfect names." A faint, sad smile traced her lips. "Before she died, she named you Thornkit. She never named her lost kit, but…" Springfoot leaned forward. "Between you and me, I think she would have named him Beekit. He looked just like you, but black with gold instead of black and orange." She frowned. "The other queens always thought it was so funny. You were both tortoiseshells, but Starflower wasn't. She was pure black, like a raven."

Thorncloud frowned, too. Something was bothering her; another question she had never asked. "Who was my father?"

Springfoot's whiskered twitched. "We don't know. Some queens don't choose to share who fathers their kits. Starflower never once mentioned who he might be. We never asked, of course. It was her decision to keep it a secret. But it might have been him who gave you your colours." She gave Thorncloud a reassuring smile. "Try not to think too hard about it. I mourned your mother for many moons, but don't forget that she's with StarClan now with her lost kit."

Thorncloud nodded. "I know." Her curiosity was still not satisfied. Something itched at the back of her mind, but she couldn't put a paw to it. She shook the thoughts away, and stood up. "Thank you for answering my questions, Springfoot." She nuzzled her foster mother's cheek. "I'm going to go for a walk and think for a while."

Springfoot waved her tail in goodbye, and Thorncloud made her way to the gorse tunnel. So many thoughts swirled in her mind, but she had to focus on getting out of camp unseen. If any cat saw her speaking to an enemy warrior now, she might end up in the apprentices' den with Tigerfang.

Climbing up to the top of the ravine, her paws ached from all of the activity from the day. Hunting had taken all of her energy, and she longed to curl up in her nest and sleep through the night. She breathed in the fresh night air. The moon was low on the horizon, but now that the sun was gone, it would be moonhigh before she knew it.

A figure stood at the top of the ravine, and as Thorncloud pulled herself onto level ground, she saw that it was Copperfur. His back was straight, and he was alert; he must have been on guard duty. His ears pricked at the sound of pawsteps, and he turned his head.

Seeing Thorncloud standing there, his eyes narrowed into slits. "Where are you sneaking off to?" he said, as if she was doing something extremely suspicious.

"I'm not sneaking anywhere," Thorncloud said, keeping her voice level. "I'm going for a walk."

"Going to Fourtrees again?" His tone was accusatory.

Thorncloud just blinked at him. "No," she said, which thankfully, was the truth. She made a mental note to break her trail somehow so that, in case Copperfur decided to follow her, he wouldn't be able to track her to her meeting place with Bumblestripe.

Copperfur just stared at her. He clearly didn't believe that she was _just taking a walk_ , but Thorncloud hardly cared anymore what he thought of her. "You know, I thought you were a decent cat," she said. "I looked up to you when I was an apprentice. And the whole time you were just… _waiting_ for me. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Copperfur snorted. "At least I'm not getting cozy with a medicine cat," he shot back. "It's like you really don't have any self respect."

Thorncloud unsheathed her claws and clicked them against the stone on which she stood. "It's almost like a she-cat can have male friends and not want to bear their kits," she said. "Goodnight, Copperfur." Turning away, she bounded off into the trees, not bothering to look back.

Thorncloud finessed her pathway to the willow tree by taking various steps to disguise her scent. First she found a patch of sweet-smelling flowers, and rolled around in those; then she tracked her scent through different ponds she knew were in the area, zig-zagging to try and confuse the trail. Along the way, she found an abandoned fox hole, and resolved to stop there on the way back to cover the scent of RainClan.

By the time she finally made it to the willow tree, the moon was high in the sky. She ducked under the sweeping branches that hung low to the forest floor, and sat on a large root at the base of the trunk.

Before long, RainClan scent reached her, and she recognized Bumblestripe's scent. She was about to call out a greeting when she also caught scent of another cat that she didn't recognize. She unsheathed her claws for the second time that night, and braced herself.

The willow branches parted and Bumblestripe pushed through. He came forward to touch noses with Thorncloud, who returned the gesture happily. Her smile faded when she saw that behind Bumblestripe was a she-cat, likely an apprentice judging by her size. She was a grey tabby, and Thorncloud vaguely recognized her as one of the cats that was with Brookpelt the day that she and Tigerfang saw the patrol near Sunningrocks. She couldn't recall the cat's name at first, but seeing how her tabby markings looks vaguely like scales, she soon remembered.

"Why did you bring _Scalepaw_ with you?" Thorncloud said, narrowing her eyes at the she-cat. "Do you want all of RainClan to know?"

Bumblestripe ducked his head, embarrassed. "Sorry. I tried to come alone, but she insisted on coming with me, and, well – I thought it was better to just bring her than have her track me."

"I'm a good tracker," Scalepaw piped up.

"She won't tell anyone," Bumblestripe promised. "She's a good friend of mine; we trained together before I became a warrior."

"Soon I'll be a warrior, too."

"That's just fine," Thorncloud said, "but this really should stay between us, Bumble…" Her voice trailed off as a thought struck her. She found herself staring at Bumblestripe's fur as he settled onto the grass a tail-length away from her. He was a tortoiseshell, and his fur was black and gold, almost... like a _bee_.

"Thorncloud?" Bumblestripe said, interrupting her train of thought. "Did you hear what I said?"

Thorncloud shook her head. She was staring at Bumblestripe as if seeing him for the first time.

"I said that we can trust Scalepaw. She might be helpful, anyway, being an apprentice. She can ask questions that it would be strange for a warrior to ask. About StarClan, and clan history, and things like that. Plus, her mentor is Mottledfur, our new deputy – who's also my father."

Bumblestripe beamed when he mentioned his father. This piqued Thorncloud's interest, but she would have to save those questions for later. "Do you really think we'll need to ask all of that stuff?" she asked.

"How much do _you_ know about StarClan prophecies?" Bumblestripe asked. "The oaks at Fourtrees? The rocklands around Highstones? The–"

"Alright, I get it," Thorncloud said, flicking her tail over his mouth to silence him. "Fine. Scalepaw can stay. And what about Cloudstorm?"

"What about her?"

"Is she going to tell anyone? She wasn't exactly friendly the first time we met."

Bumblestripe shrugged. "She's my closest friend. I can't imagine her telling anybody about this."

Thorncloud nodded. The circle was widening far too much for her liking. Tallfeather, Copperfur, Cloudstorm, and now Scalepaw all knew about the prophecy. How long was it before it reached others?

She turned on Scalepaw. "Okay, you. Listen – you're allowed to ask your mentor questions, but you still have to be subtle. Don't let the questions come out of nowhere."

"Don't worry," Scalepaw scoffed. "I got this."

Thorncloud bit her tongue so that she didn't berate the apprentice for her disrespect. She just shook her head and turned back to Bumblestripe. "So you mentioned you had the dream again."

He nodded. "Exactly the same as the first time," he told her. "But I did notice a few more things this time. Like the StarClan cat's scent – she definitely smelled faintly of SnowClan. I also got a better sense of the location. It was definitely near Highstones, but lower down. I was somewhere in the area that surrounds Mothermouth, closer to the Thunderpath that cuts the rocklands off from Shadowland territory."

"Why there?" Thorncloud mused aloud. "It's such a strange place. The prophecy mentioned Fourtrees, so you'd think the dream would take place there."

"It must be significant to the prophecy," Bumblestripe said. "Maybe we ought to travel to Highstones to check it out."

Scalepaw snorted. "Right, that wouldn't be suspicious. Two cats from different clans travelling to Highstones for no reason? Even _I_ know that only medicine cats and clan leaders go to Highstones regularly."

A smile spread across Thorncloud's face. "That's it, then," she said. "We'll just need the help of a medicine cat."

Bumblestripe looked at her skeptically. "How do you expect us to do that?" he asked.

"Well…" Thorncloud chose her words carefully. "I'm good friends with our medicine cat, Tallfeather. I'm sure he would help me if I asked."

"And get more cats involved?"

"He wouldn't ask questions," Thorncloud said. "I've had strange dreams before, and he's always helped me work them out. If I said I wanted to go to Highstones because of this dream, he'd probably say yes."

Scalepaw rolled her eyes. Bumblestripe hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know. Wouldn't other cats question why he was taking you there?" he meowed. "Maybe you could wait until Tallfeather needs to travel to Highstones next with the other medicine cats, and ask to accompany him."

Thorncloud considered the idea. "That could work. He usually says it's only a medicine cat's journey, but… seeing as we're so close, he might say yes."

Bumblestripe nodded. "Then that's settled. Hopefully that should give us some answers," he said. "Other than that, I can't think of anything else we can do right now except get Scalepaw to ask Mottledfur some questions."

"Sounds like a plan," Thorncloud said. She got to her paws and yawned, feeling the weight of exhaustion on every inch of her fur. "I should head back. I'll see you at the next Gathering?"

"Of course." Both RainClan cats stood. "It would be too much of a risk to meet before then, anyway."

"Travel safely," Thorncloud mewed, and flicked her tail in goodbye. She made her way toward the curtain of branches and eased out into the open air, blinking up at the moon. It was beginning its descent; she would have to get back to camp soon if she wanted any sleep.

As she left the shelter of the willow, she retraced her steps to find the fox hole she discovered earlier. She rolled around in the stench, and wrinkled her nose against the foul scent. Nobody would notice the RainClan scent on her now.

Copperfur's sentry position was now taken by Foxtail, she noted as she passed the ginger-furred tom on the way down the ravine. She hadn't stopped to check if she was being followed away from camp, she realized, as she crossed the clearing towards the warriors' den.

She was glad to see that Copperfur was curled up, asleep, when she entered. Her broken trail had worked, then, since he was already back. The anxiety in her chest eased slightly, and finally, she let her tiredness overtake her racing mind, and fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **(Note: Hey readers! I've decided that soon I'll post a masterlist of Allegiances so it's easy to remember all of the cats in each clan. It'll be posted after Chapter 17 – hint, that chapter is important for establishing several more characters – and if there's any extra info you want me to add to that post or have any questions you want me to address, let me know in the reviews. Anyway, enjoy chapter 12!)**

For the next few days, Thorncloud carried out her duties as usual. The wound on her cheek was healing nicely into a thin scar. If she groomed it the right way, her fur would lie flat and cover it up. Her mind kept turning over everything she had discussed with both Springfoot and Bumblestripe. The new knowledge about her mother was a particular fascination that she couldn't shake. Having learned about her mother's other kit – her _brother_ , she thought with a jolt – there was a lot to stomach.

She didn't dare ask Springfoot more, for fear of arousing suspicion. Not that asking about her past was suspicious, but she didn't want to raise any unwanted questions from her foster mother.

Thorncloud bathed in the mid-afternoon sun in the SnowClan camp clearing, thankful for a peaceful respite from the hectic clan life. A hunting patrol was out, even though the fresh-kill pile was mounting nicely, and there had been no trace of RainClan at Sunningrocks. It seemed that their enemies were licking their wounds – and rightly so – before seeking revenge for the death of their deputy.

Also on the clan's mind was a potential threat from StormClan, who weren't happy about the death of their former leader, either. SnowClan was an unpopular clan at the moment, and Thorncloud completely understood why. Her position in the clan seemed to be shifting uncomfortably.

Ever since her demotion, Tigerfang hadn't talked to Thorncloud – or anyone, for that matter. The tabby kept to herself mostly, which was a surprise to everyone. Thorncloud suspected that Brookpelt's murder might have affected Tigerfang in more ways than the demoted warrior let on.

At least there was no sign of the exiled RainClan cats, Thorncloud thought. That was a blessing. Since Sunstream's exile, there had been no sign of him in any of the clan territories.

Thorncloud stared up at the clouds, deep in thought. She yearned to talk to Mottledfur, Bumblestripe's father and RainClan's new deputy. If her suspicions were correct, the tortoiseshell tom might have a stronger connection to her than she had ever imagined.

It wasn't lost on Thorncloud that there were no other tortoiseshell cats in SnowClan except for her. Previously, she had assumed that her fur colouring had come from her mother, but now she knew that Starflower wasn't similar to her in looks, it arose a whole new question. _Was her father from SnowClan at all?_

Of course, she couldn't just go asking questions like that. Half-clan cats were fiercely rejected by most cats, and even Springfoot might shun her if she suggested that Starflower had done something as traitorous as mating with someone from another clan.

Slowly, she got to her paws and looked around the clearing. At this hour, most cats were out in the forest taking advantage of the warmth to hunt or train. Nobody was out in the clearing, except for old Pinetail who sat at the mouth of the elders' den, but he was blind. If she slipped out to check by the river, just to see if anyone friendly was nearby, nobody would know….

Thorncloud made a break for the gorse tunnel, and headed for the water.

She should have suspected that the river would be rife with gloating SnowClan warriors, sprawled across Sunningrocks to soak up the newleaf sun. With the shock of Brookpelt's death subsiding, SnowClan was more than confident in their possession of Sunningrocks. Rosewhisker, the pregnant queen whose belly was swollen with kits, was lounging on a large, flat rock, taking advantage of what might be her last time out of camp for a while. Nearby, Windheart trained Ivypaw to hunt the prey that hid between the rocks. By the riverbank, Tigerfang was standing next to Stoneclaw, looking across into RainClan territory. Thorncloud could hear the warrior speaking quietly to Tigerfang, but she couldn't make out his words.

As much as she was upset with Tigerfang, her heart ached for the closeness they felt as kits. Even though they weren't real sisters, Tigerfang had always treated her like one. Tigerfang had no true brothers or sisters, as the only other kit in her litter had died soon after being born. Throughout their apprenticeship, they had trained together and continued acting like sisters. It was only after their warrior ceremony that things began to shift.

Thorncloud missed that sisterhood, more than she could express.

Tigerfang looked over her shoulder at Thorncloud as she approached. Unsurprisingly, she warrior-turned-apprentice didn't maintain eye contact, and looked away.

"Hello, Thorncloud," Stoneclaw greeted. "How are you today?"

"Just fine, Stoneclaw. I thought I would come see how my sister is doing," she replied.

Tigerfang muttered something, too quietly for Thorncloud to hear.

"What's that, Tigerfa–I mean, er, Tigerpaw?" Stoneclaw asked, his ears flattening slightly in embarrassment.

Tigerfang whirled around to face Thorncloud. "I said, I'm _not_ your sister!" she snarled. "So stop calling me that, okay?"

Now it was Thorncloud's turn to flatten her ears. She backed up slightly, shock rippling from her muzzle to her tail. Nearby, Rosewhisker sat up in alarm. "W–Why would you say that?" Thorncloud stammered.

"Because we're not sisters!" Tigerfang yelled. "We don't share parents, Thorncloud! Just because my mother took pity on you and nursed you doesn't make us kin!"

It was as if she had ripped out Thorncloud's heart with her claws. Thorncloud backed away, her tail between her legs, and bolted towards the trees. Her heart was racing as she ran through the undergrowth. Tigerfang's words echoed through her head. _I'm not your sister!_ Had she been wrong all along? Was the closeness she felt to Tigerfang one-sided, and she truly had no one to call her family?

Her paws led her to the stepping stones that bridged SnowClan's territory to RainClan's across the river. Thorncloud, unable to bear the thought of going back to camp now, knew that she had brought herself here for a reason. She jumped to the first rock, and delved into RainClan territory.

She stayed low in the reeds, her ears pricked for sounds of cats stomping around. In the middle of the afternoon, it was unlikely that there were border patrols, but there could be hunting patrols or warriors training their apprentices.

Thorncloud stayed clear of the riverbank, knowing that she might be spotted by the SnowClan cats on the other side. Her paws prickled with anxiety at the thought of being in an unfamiliar territory. A flowery smell reached her nose, and she realized that she was hiding in a plant she didn't recognize. She knew the aroma would cover her scent.

"Are we going fishing?" a familiar voice said nearby. Thorncloud quickly crouched lower in the shrub, trying to gauge the direction of the voice. She recognized it as being Scalepaw; her high-pitched voice was distinctive.

"Yes, we are," came another voice. Thorncloud's ears perked up. Maybe that was Mottledfur, Scalepaw's apprentice – just the cat that Thorncloud wanted to speak with.

"I'm going to catch a trout!" Scalepaw boasted. Thorncloud followed the sound of the she-cat's voice. The footsteps were nearby, but she wouldn't be able to leave the safety of the reeds to get her attention.

The tomcat chuckled. "I'm sure you will. Come, let's go downstream."

As quiet as a mouse, Thorncloud trailed them all the way downstream. Her muscles tightened as they came close to where she had crossed into RainClan territory. She hadn't thought to mask her scent at all.

As she suspected, one set of pawsteps came to a halt near the stepping stones. "Mottledfur?" Scalepaw said, and the other paws stopped. Thorncloud peered through the reeds, catching sight of Scalepaw sniffing the air. "It smells like SnowClan."

"This is probably where they crossed over for the fight for Sunningrocks," the deputy said, his voice sullen with grief. "The scent would still be here, but stale. Let's keep going."

"But it smells recent, doesn't it?" Scalepaw asked. Thorncloud grit her teeth. The mouse-brain didn't even recognize her scent! "Should we–" The apprentice stopped suddenly. "I mean, you're right, it's probably stale, we should–"

But it was too late. She had gotten Mottledfur's attention. "No, Scalepaw, you're right. I had dismissed it, but it _is_ more recent. Whoever it was might've crossed recently." Thorncloud saw his fur bristle angrily, and she silently cursed the apprentice for realizing her mistake too late. "The scent leads this way. Scalepaw, you try to track it – think of it as an assessment."

Scalepaw looked nervous now. Thorncloud backtracked, finding a more suitable shelter to wait to reveal herself. She heard the apprentice coming through the reeds, following her scent. Thorncloud waited in the shelter of a bush as she came closer.

" _Scalepaw!_ " she hissed, as quietly as she could. "It's me, Thorncloud."

Scalepaw ran towards her, looking over her shoulder to make sure Mottledfur was far enough behind. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes full of worry. "Mottledfur will see you, he's coming!"

"You have to tell him I'm here."

" _What_?"

"Trust me, Scalepaw." Thorncloud tried to sound confident, but even she wasn't sure if this was a huge mistake. "Tell him Starflower's daughter is here. He'll come."

Scalepaw hesitated. Then she turned and disappeared. There was a murmuring of their voices. Thorncloud's heart beat faster in her chest. _If her suspicions were wrong, she was about to be flayed from ear to haunches_.

Mottledfur appeared. Thorncloud had never seen him this close up; he was a tortoiseshell, his fur a mass of black, orange, and gold. She cautiously slid out of her hiding place, and his green eyes fell on her.

For a moment, they just stared at one another. Thorncloud trembled slightly. Mottledfur was staring at her, his gaze blank and calculating –

– Until his eyes softened, and he let out a long sigh. "You've figured it out, then?" he said softly. Relief flooded Thorncloud. She nodded. Mottledfur stepped forward and greeted her properly, resting his chin on her head and wrapping his tail around her. "My kit," he sighed. Emotion filled his voice. "My kit, a warrior."

Thorncloud felt tears well up in her eyes. "It's true, then," she whispered. "You're my father?"

"I am."

Thorncloud leaned into his embrace. They stayed like that for a few long moments. Now Thorncloud had completely forgotten about Scalepaw, who seemed to have left them alone and gone StarClan-knew-where.

Finally, Mottledfur stood back. He took a long look at her, as though sizing her up. "You've become a formidable warrior," he said proudly. "And smart, too. How did you figure me out?"

Thorncloud shuffled her paws. She began to recount her conversation with Springfoot, her new knowledge about her mother, and the realization that there wasn't any toms in the clan who looked remotely like her. "Really what gave me the last clue was finding out I had a brother," she said. "Springfoot mentioned him looking like a bumblebee, so when I met Bumblestripe and he mentioned you were his father…"

Mottledfur nodded. "The pieces fell into place. I see."

"I know I shouldn't have been meddling with other clans," Thorncloud said, the words tumbling out, "but as soon as the thought came to me I couldn't leave it alone! I've spent my whole life without any kin, and now my foster sister hates me and my friends are turning against me and I just didn't know what to do! So I had to find my family." Her breaths came out ragged and desperate. She looked up at Mottledfur. "And now, finally, I have a father… and a brother." The realization hit her like a monster on the Thunderpath – _she was no longer alone!_

But Mottledfur was shaking his head. "Thorncloud, I'm happy that you know," he said, "but this has to remain a secret. Nobody in either of our clans can know that Starflower and I were in love. It would dishonour both our clans."

Thorncloud looked at him with disbelief. "So I… I can't see you?"

"It's too dangerous," Mottledfur said. His eyes were full of pain. "I'm the deputy now. I have many duties that keep me busy, and if anyone were to find out, I might lose my position in the clan."

"So being deputy is more important to you than I am?"

"Of course not." The warrior sighed. "Try to understand, Thorncloud. Nobody would look at you the same if they knew. Half-clan cats are shunned by everyone. And it would tear Bumblestripe apart if he knew that his whole life was a lie; he doesn't even know that Blossomheart is not his true mother."

Thorncloud clenched her jaw, and nodded reluctantly. He was right. It would destroy all of their relationships with their clanmates if anyone found out. "We can still see one another at Gatherings," Mottledfur promised. He began grooming her messy fur that stuck up oddly from crawling through the reeds. Thorncloud let him; it was her first time sharing tongues with her own kin.

"Why did you give me up?" Thorncloud asked quietly. "You kept Bumblestripe… but you left me in SnowClan."

Mottledfur nuzzled her cheek. "Starflower and I had a plan. We didn't want either of you to grow up without kin. So we agreed one kit would stay in SnowClan, and one would come with me to RainClan. I didn't even know she had died until the next moon, when Rainstar announced it at the Gathering." He hung his head, as if ashamed. "I would have come for you, but it was too late. One kit disappearing made sense, but two? Besides, you already had a foster mother. I couldn't take you away from that."

Thorncloud nodded. She understood, even if she didn't like it. "Well, better I found you late than never," she sighed. Mottledfur purred in agreement.

"You should return to your clan," he said. "I have to return to mine, too."

Thorncloud wished they could stay there, hidden in the cover of the undergrowth forever. But she knew he was right. Their clan duties waited for them. "I'll see you at the next Gathering, then?" she asked hopefully.

"You will," Mottledfur agreed. "Goodbye, Thorncloud."

"Goodbye," Thorncloud muttered. The RainClan deputy blinked at her, turned around, and left their hiding place. Thorncloud sat there for a few moments, letting her discovery sink in, and then dashed back towards the river before any other RainClan cat could catch her scent.

As she rolled around in a patch of wild garlic in SnowClan territory to rid herself of the RainClan scent, a thought struck her.

 _No wonder both she and Bumblestripe spoke to a SnowClan cat in their dream – Starflower was both of their mothers after all!_

But Bumblestripe would never believe it was Starflower who had spoken to him. In his eyes, she had no reason to. And Thorncloud had no choice but to keep silent about the reason why.


	12. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Thorncloud awoke with a start. Her head was throbbing, and despite the warmth of newleaf, she was shivering. She stood up and grit her teeth when pain shot through her shoulder.

Limping over to Tallfeather's den, her mind turned over why she could be in pain. She had been taking it easy since the fight with RainClan. She was fit to hunt, and she had gone all the way to RainClan's territory to talk to Mottledfur… and now, suddenly, a stabbing pain engulfed her.

"Tallfeather?" she called as she entered the small clearing of the medicine den.

The handsome tom appeared, his head poking out of the rock crevice where she knew he slept. He blinked at her, and his tired expression turned to one of concern. "What's wrong?" he asked, walking closer.

"My shoulder," Thorncloud said. "I woke up and it hurts, I don't know why."

Tallfeather leaned close to examine her. Normally the proximity would make Thorncloud swoon, but right now she was in too much pain to care. "It's infected," he announced.

"What?" Thorncloud shook her head. "How could it be?"

"Did you get wounded outside RainClan's camp?" Tallfeather asked. He prodded her shoulder tenderly, trying to push back her fur to get a closer look. "You had that scratch on your cheek that I treated, but you never mentioned another wound."

Thorncloud cursed under her breath. "Creekbelly jumped on me," she said. "I felt his claws on my shoulder, but I didn't think he broke the skin."

Tallfeather let out a _mrrow_ of amusement. "You're tough," he said, eyes sparkling with playfulness. "Wait here, I'll see what I can do."

Tallfeather cleaned out her wound with ferns, and treated her with marigold, and feverfew for the chill. When he was done, he sat back and wiped his dirtied paws on the grass beneath him. "That should do for now," he said. "If it keeps bothering you, I'll try something else. You need to take it easy for the next few days. Medicine cat's orders."

"Why do you think it got infected?" Thorncloud asked.

"Well, if you were out in the forest doing something strenuous, it might have reopened the wound. Dirt may have got inside, or something like that."

Thorncloud thought of her journey to RainClan, and nodded. She had been skulking around RainClan territory for a while. That must have done it.

"Anything else I can do for you?" Tallfeather asked. His eyes glimmered expectantly, and Thorncloud got the impression that he wanted her to stay and chat.

She looked up at him. He was sitting close enough that she could entwine her tail with his, so she did. His ears twitched in surprise. She gave his shoulder a lick. "Were you a medicine cat yet when my mother died?" she asked.

Tallfeather's eyes widened. "No," he said. "I mean, yes, kind of. I was a young apprentice then. I had only just received my blessing from StarClan to start my training. That was the first time I had experienced losing a cat. Not that I was responsible for her life, but…" He sighed. "I watched as Poppytail tried to cure her illness. There was nothing I could do."

Thorncloud leaned her head on his shoulder. "I know. I wasn't blaming you," she said sincerely. "I was just curious about her. Springfoot told me a bit about her. Even though I never knew her, I miss her."

Tallfeather just nodded. They sat in silence for a long while. Thorncloud would have stayed there with him forever. Right now, he was the only cat in SnowClan that she truly felt connected to.

And then her stomach rumbled. Tallfeather's laugh rumbled loud enough for her to feel it through his fur. "Alright, you go get something to eat," he said, nudging her slightly, being careful of her shoulder. "The last thing I want to do is let you wither away to fur and bones... what kind of medicine cat would I be then?"

With her shoulder putting her out of commission, Thorncloud lounged around camp for a quarter moon, nursing her infection. Tigerfang pointedly ignored her whenever she came near, and actually seemed to be settling in better with the clique of apprentices than with her former warrior denmates. That suited the warriors just fine, as none of them had regained their lost respect for Tigerfang just yet.

Springfoot rarely came to talk to Thorncloud, and Thorncloud noticed that she was avoiding Tigerfang, too. _Probably afraid of offending either of us_ , Thorncloud thought bitterly. If she was wrong about her relationship with Tigerfang, maybe she was wrong about how Springfoot saw her, too. She wasn't Springfoot's daughter, after all. It would be natural for her to prioritize her true kin.

News had also spread of what Tigerfang had said to Thorncloud at Sunningrocks. Thorncloud got a few sympathetic looks from the other warriors. If there was one positive thing that came out of Brookpelt's death, it was that everyone seemed to have forgotten Thorncloud's so-called treachery of talking to Bumblestripe and Cloudstorm at Sunningrocks. Tigerfang was now the focus when it came to unacceptable behaviour.

The only notable event during her time stuck in camp was Rosewhisker giving birth to her kits. Thorncloud was almost happy that she was confined to camp, because she was among the first to see the little bundles of fur. There were three of them, two toms and a she-cat. All were all mostly cream-coloured: one tom was cream with a white belly, while the other was fully cream, and the she-cat had a black spot on her back. Rosewhisker was prompt in naming them: Tansykit and Silk-kit where the toms, and Petalkit was the she-cat.

Thorncloud noted that Berryleaf was hanging around the nursery more often after that. At first she wondered why the deputy was taking so much interest in the kits, but then stupidly she realized he was probably the father.

On the seventh day of being stuck in camp, Thorncloud's shoulder was feeling a lot better. Tallfeather had been applying herbs to it every day, and despite the stiffness, it was mostly back to normal. She had been helping with the in-camp duties, like changing bedding and bringing fresh-kill to the elders. It might have been an apprentice's job, but she didn't mind.

A plump vole was in her jaws as she padded over to the elders' den. She had already brought a mouse for Pinetail and a finch for Crowpelt, so all that was left was Blizzardpelt. She deposited the vole at his paws and then stretched her shoulder, wishing she could get back out and hunt again.

"Have you eaten?" Blizzardpelt asked, watching her with a smile.

"I'm not quite hungry yet," Thorncloud said. "I'll wait for the hunting patrol to come back, then I'll eat. Did you hear Berryleaf's letting me stand guard outside tonight? I can finally get out of this camp!"

"That's great," Blizzardpelt praised. "Would you like to sit with me? I could use some company from a youngster for once."

Thorncloud nodded and settled down across from him. He began to eat, and Thorncloud watched him sadly. It seemed like not long ago that she and Blizzardpelt had been patrolling the border together with Twigpaw. She missed the old cat's lively spirit.

"You seem to be settling into the life of a warrior well," Blizzardpelt commented. "Seeing you strut around, you look like a seasoned warrior, not one that was given her warrior name only a few moons ago."

"Hey, I don't strut!" Thorncloud protested, but she was smiling. The elder chuckled. "But thank you, Blizzardpelt. I'm trying to be the best warrior I can be." _Besides breaking the warrior code every few days to talk to enemy cats, that is_.

"It's strange," Blizzardpelt said, "I don't see you hanging out with the other warriors that much." He watched her carefully as he finished off his vole and licked his lips.

"I don't get on with the others very well," Thorncloud confessed.

"Not even Copperfur? You two seemed like good friends, even when he was your mentor."

Thorncloud's tail twitched angrily. "No, he's definitely _not_ my friend," she said, unable to mask her anger.

Blizzardpelt's look of surprise faded into one of concern. "Your business is your own, but if you'd like a friend to listen…."

Thorncloud smiled appreciatively. "It's just that he seems to think that just because he, er…" She felt awkward even saying the words. "He has feelings for me, and thinks that means I should have feelings for him, too."

"Ah, I see." Blizzardpelt frowned. "Copperfur has led a comfortable life since becoming a warrior. He's not used to rejection."

Thorncloud nodded. "He and I haven't spoken in a long time. I just couldn't be friends with him after he treated me like that," she said. "And then Tigerfang – I mean Tigerpaw –"

"Oh yes, I heard about the incident at Sunningrocks."

"Honestly, there aren't any other cats that I'm close to besides you and Tallfeather. But he's a medicine cat, and he's very busy. It's not like we can go hunt together like I can do with other warriors. I just feel very…"

"Alone?" Blizzardpelt finished. "I understand. While I believe that retiring to the elders' den was the right choice, I often feel lonely here, too. Only the apprentices tend to visit, and my company isn't exactly lively…"

"My ears still work even if my eyes don't, Blizzardpelt!" Pinetail called from the other side of the den, where he had appeared to be sleeping. Blizzardpelt laughed, and Thorncloud suppressed a smile.

"I can come visit you more," Thorncloud said.

"That's nice of you, Thorncloud," Blizzardpelt said. "And I appreciate it. But you've got better things to do than hang out with an old cat like me." He winked. His fading eyes squinted across the clearing, and Thorncloud turned to see the hunting patrol returning with plenty of fresh-kill. "You should go eat before your night watch," he said, nodding in the direction of the fresh-kill pile.

Thorncloud stood and brushed her tail against Blizzardpelt's shoulder, thankful to have him as a friend. "Don't be silly, I _will_ come visit, whenever I can," she promised, and blinked a goodbye before racing off to satiate her hunger.

At moonrise, she headed for the camp exit and climbed the ravine. The dawn patrol was just returning, among them Springfoot; the she-cat smiled at Thorncloud as she passed by, but said nothing. Thorncloud sighed. One day soon she would have to talk to her foster mother again, to make sure things were okay between them.

She took up her position to watch over the forest. The trees darkened into silhouettes, and Silverpelt sparkled like frost above her head. It was the half-moon tonight; Tallfeather had left earlier to travel to Highstones with the other medicine cats. That was the only downside of standing guard that night. She wasn't able to ask Tallfeather if she could tag along. It was for the best, however, because her stiff shoulder would have made it difficult to travel. She and Bumblestripe would just have to wait until the next half-moon.

She suppressed a yawn; she needed to stay awake and guard the clan until morning. A gentle night breeze drifted through the trees. Thorncloud took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh scents from the forest – and paused as an unfamiliar scent reached her.

It was a cat-scent, that was for sure. At first Thorncloud thought it was a RainClan cat, because the scent was similar, but when she smelled again, it was something distinctly different. RainClan, but _not_. It could have been a rogue, but there was something that told her it was something else… something more sinister.

The forest was unnaturally quiet. The fur on Thorncloud's neck stood up. There was a strange feeling like she was being watched.

A noise startled her. Thorncloud looked behind her, and turned to see Rainstar climbing up the ravine. "Rainstar?" she called, surprised to see the leader out so late.

"Good evening, Thorncloud," Rainstar said as she reached the top of the ravine. "I hope the night has been quiet?"

Thorncloud hesitated, looking out into the forest. The feeling of being watched was gone now, but that scent still clouded her mind. Rainstar didn't seem to notice anything strange, however, so she just nodded. "I haven't seen anything out of place," she said, which was true. She hadn't _seen_ any evidence of another cat, after all.

"Good to hear." The blue-grey cat settled down, surprising Thorncloud. Had the SnowClan warrior come to chat with _her_? "I wanted to ask your opinion on Tigerpaw."

Thorncloud's eyes fell to the forest floor. "Oh," she said. "If this is about her assessment, Rainstar, I'm not the right cat to ask. Tigerpaw and I have barely spoken."

"Ah, yes. I heard about your conversation by Sunningrocks." Rainstar stared at Thorncloud levelly, with an expression that was unreadable. "Thorncloud, please be assured that you have a place in this clan as much as any cat. Though your kin may have passed on to StarClan, your heart still remains here. Don't forget that."

Thorncloud blinked at Rainstar. "Th-thank you, Rainstar," she said.

Rainstar nodded. "Anyhow, what I came to ask was your thoughts on Tigerpaw's actions at the RainClan fight," she said. She added, "I won't tell her what you say."

Thorncloud thought carefully before speaking. She had given a lot of thought to what had happened. "Rainstar, I don't think she's a bad cat," she said. "She has a thirst to prove herself. I can only speculate, but… I believe she would never intentionally kill another cat over something like a border fight. My heart tells me that in her need to prove herself, she went too far and did more damage than she thought she would."

Rainstar nodded thoughtfully, taking in her words. After a few moments, she stood. "Thank you, Thorncloud, for your perspective. I'll leave you to your duty." She turned and made her way back down the ravine. Thorncloud watched until the tip of her tail had disappeared into the tunnel, then turned back to stare at the forest.

By the time the sun rose, the strange scent and the ominous feeling of being watched had slipped from her mind, and life returned to normal.


	13. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **(Note: Posting a bit late today, but never fear! This chapter is a GOOD ONE, and it furthers the plot a lot. Enjoy!)**

The time seemed to fly by, and before Thorncloud could blink, it was the night of the Gathering. Such a night would normally be exciting, but Thorncloud's excitement doubled at the thought of speaking with her kin. Even if Bumblestripe had no idea of their true relationship, it brought a whole new significance to their meetings. Now talking to him wasn't just about their shared dream – it was also about spending time with the brother she never knew she had.

Thankfully, Thorncloud was chosen to attend. Tigerfang, she noted, was not among the cats that gathered to wait by the tunnel – though she could have guessed as much. Blizzardpelt was attending, which made her smile. It was nice to see the elder up and out of the den. She stuck by his side as they waited for the last few cats to gather.

"Can we go with you?" Leafkit meowed, dancing around Foxtail's paws a few tail-lengths away from Thorncloud.

"Yeah, we're almost six moons old now!" Daisykit chimed in.

"Once you're apprenticed, you'll be allowed to go," Foxtail promised.

"Leafkit, Daisykit! Come back here!" Barktail called from the nursery.

"Aww!" the kits said in unison. They bid goodbye to Foxtail – who Thorncloud suddenly realized was their father – and tumbled over their tiny paws to go join their mother. Thorncloud knew that it was a good thing those two were nearly ready to be apprenticed, because Rosewhisker wouldn't be happy having them disturbing her newborns.

Foxtail watched them go, a loving gaze in his eyes, before coming over to join the rest of the group. Ever since discovering that Mottledfur was her father, Thorncloud had been a lot more attentive to the relationships within the clan. She was glad that all of the current SnowClan kits had both of their parents.

At last, Windheart and Ivypaw joined the group, and they were ready to depart. Thorncloud kept towards the back of the group as Rainstar led them to the Gathering. Thankfully Copperfur wasn't coming, but Springfoot had also stayed back, so the only cat she felt comfortable talking to was Blizzardpelt.

"It's nice to be out of camp again," he commented, falling back with Thorncloud. They chatted idly all the way there. Blizzardpelt looked exceptionally happy to be going to the Gathering that night. _He must be lonely_ , Thorncloud thought. To go to the Gathering and see old faces must be nice.

For once, SnowClan arrived first to Fourtrees. Rainstar didn't bother to wait before plunging down into the clearing. She leapt up onto the Great Rock, while the rest of the SnowClan cats milled about below.

It didn't take long for RainClan to show. Thorncloud was grateful to see them pouring over the top of the ravine. Goldenstar didn't look as happy, she noted. The tom had a cold air about him, and didn't even look at Rainstar as he jumped up on the Great Rock beside her. There were clearly still a lot of bad feelings about Brookpelt's death, and Thorncloud couldn't say she blamed him. There was an air of hostility in Fourtrees as they waited for the other clans to show up. A few cats mingled, but for the most part, the clans stayed separate.

Mottledfur lingered at the base of the Great Rock. Thorncloud sent a silent thank-you to StarClan as she saw Bumblestripe and Cloudstorm near him. She headed over, and waved her tail hello to them. Mottledfur glanced over as she approached and left the rock to come join them.

"Greetings, Thorncloud," the RainClan deputy said casually. "How's the prey running in SnowClan?"

"Great, thank you," Thorncloud said, trying not to show too much excitement at talking to him.

"You know each other?" Bumblestripe asked, visibly surprised at the friendly interaction.

"A good deputy keeps track of all the other clans' warriors," Mottledfur said, as if this should be obvious. "Thorncloud was made a warrior a few moons ago, isn't that right?"

Thorncloud nodded. She sensed the anxiety in Bumblestripe's eyes; if Mottledfur was there, they couldn't talk about the prophecy. "Congratulations on being named deputy, by the way. How are things in RainClan?" she asked, directing her question at all of them. "Trust me when I say that nobody is happy with what happened last time our clans met."

Cloudstorm narrowed her eyes. "We're doing just _fine_ ," she said sharply.

"Goldenstar will address it during the Gathering," Mottledfur said. "But nobody blames all of SnowClan, I promise you that. Sunningrocks has been an age-old dispute for our clans. That won't change anytime soon."

Cloudstorm abruptly turned and left. She stalked away to speak to another cat from her clan, turning her back to Thorncloud, who frowned.

Bumblestripe leaned in to speak quietly. "Brookpelt was her former mentor," he murmured.

Thorncloud's heart twisted in her chest. "I'm so sorry," she sighed. "Her death was unnecessary. I wish things could have ended differently."

"We all do." Mottledfur smiled softly. He glanced around as the scent of CloudClan filled the air. Galestar was leading her clan down the slope. "I should go speak with the other clan deputies. Duty calls. Enjoy the Gathering, you two." With a parting smile, he returned to the base of the Great Rock just as the CloudClan deputy, a silver tabby tom named Duskfur, greeted him.

"He's so friendly," Thorncloud commented, watching her father converse with the other deputy for a few moments.

"He's popular in all the clans," Bumblestripe said proudly. "One day I hope to be as great a warrior as him. Maybe even deputy."

"You will be," Thorncloud said, resting her tail on his shoulders. Though she couldn't say it out loud, she was proud to be his sister.

Bumblestripe purred at the compliment. "Thank you," he said. He glanced around, and then leaned in to speak in a hushed tone. "Did you manage to make the journey to Highstones?"

Thorncloud shook her head, and moved her tail to curl around her paws. "I injured my shoulder and it got infected, so I had to stay in camp," she said. Bumblestripe deflated slightly. "I'm sorry, I would've gone if I had the chance."

"No, that's alright. You were right to take care of yourself!"

Just then, StormClan arrived. Thorncloud said a quick goodbye to Bumblestripe and moved to sit beside Blizzardpelt, who was conversing with two CloudClan elders she didn't know. Blizzardpelt introduced the elderly tom whose body was riddled with battle scars as Scarpelt, and then the she-cat as Whitewhisker.

She only had time to hear them reminiscing about how young warriors these days were "irresponsible and disrespectful" before Ravenstar's yowl silenced the clearing. Goldenstar stepped forward to speak first. A few SnowClan warriors around Thorncloud bristled in anticipation.

"I'll begin this Gathering by introducing RainClan's new deputy, Mottledfur," he said. The usual yowls of congratulation that came with a new deputy were somewhat muted. A murmur rose up from the other clans who were unaware of Brookpelt's death. "RainClan lost our old deputy, Brookpelt, in a fight over Sunningrocks with SnowClan. She served the clan well, but she now hunts with StarClan."

He raised his gaze to look up to Silverpelt as the news sunk in. Near Thorncloud, a StormClan warrior muttered, "Just like greedy SnowClan to kill another warrior for more territory." Thorncloud raked her claws in the dirt to stop herself from having an outburst.

"Nevertheless, I know Mottledfur will serve us well," Goldenstar said. He went on to announce a new litter of kits from a queen named Flamefur – a tom named Russetkit and a she-cat named Peachkit – and finished by saying that the clan is well-fed with the coming of newleaf and are recovering well from all of their losses.

As soon as Goldenstar had finished, Ravenstar stepped forward. "I'd like to speak next," the sleek black tom said, narrowing his eyes at the other leaders, as if challenging them to protest. When no one said a thing, he raised his head and said, "It's not surprising to hear that RainClan is doing so well. In fact, StormClan have _noted_ the presence of RainClan on our territory." The clearing erupted with outrage from the RainClan cats. Ravenstar lashed his tail and directed his gaze at Goldenstar. "Is your clan doing so well that you believe you can set foot on other territories as well, Goldenstar?" he challenged, raising his voice over the noise.

"I assure you, Ravenstar, that I have encouraged no cat to set foot on your territory," Goldenstar said calmly, though his muscles were rippling under his fur, as if he could break the truce and strike out at Ravenstar any moment.

"Actually," said Galestar, stepping forward to join the conversation, "I was going to wait to say this until I gave CloudClan's news, but my warriors have noted strong RainClan scents on our territory as well. Not just from across the border that we share, but in other areas, too."

More outrage came from the RainClan cats. Goldenstar was frowning deeply. "This troubles me," he said quietly, so that Thorncloud had to strain to hear him over the din. "My clan has been occupied with rebuilding ourselves this newleaf. I have made no attempts to cross borders, and no cat from my clan has expressed wanting to encroach on other territories. I swear by StarClan, we have no desire to steal your territories."

"You think our senses of smell are wrong, then?" Ravenstar demanded.

Goldenstar shook his head. "No, Ravenstar. May I ask where you picked up these scents?" he asked, keeping his voice impressively civil for being the target of so much hostility.

"Near Carrionplace, in the part of our territory closest to the Thunderpath that runs between us and Highstones," Ravenstar said, his eyes narrowed. "But I think you already knew that."

"Galestar?" Goldenstar asked, ignoring the jab.

"The part of our territory that borders the Thunderpath," Galestar answered promptly.

"And what purpose would RainClan have to be in either of those areas?" Goldenstar asked politely. "We have the river to fish in. Ravenstar, my clan shares no borders with yours. It wouldn't make much sense for us to hunt that way. And Galestar, we already share one border with you. Why would we venture so far as the Thunderpath when, if we _were_ trying to expand our territory, the logical place to start would be where our territories already meet?"

An uncomfortable silence fell over the clearing. Even Ravenstar didn't look so convinced now. But Goldenstar was smiling. "I understand the confusion, and I have an idea of what might be the cause," he said. His smile fell away. "It has only been a few moons since we lost our traitorous deputy Sunstream. It would make sense for Sunstream and his allies to have held onto their RainClan scent. Perhaps that's where the scent came from."

"You think they would stay so close to the territories?" Rainstar asked, speaking for the first time. She had spent the whole argument watching silently, but now her curiosity was piqued.

"It's possible," Goldenstar said. "We warned them to stay out of RainClan territory, and so far they have kept to that. But the forest is familiar to them, and I doubt they would want to leave right away, especially with the amount of Twoleg nests surrounding all of our territories."

"Perhaps they're sheltering near Highstones," Rainstar said. Thorncloud's eyes widened as the leader continued, "It would be an area they're familiar with, but that belongs to no clan. They are so few in numbers that it's a large enough area to support them, as scarce as the rocklands are for prey. If they're along your clan borders, they may be trying to establish their own territory."

"Would they dare settle so close to such a sacred place?" Galestar asked. "Highstones belongs to StarClan!"

"Sunstream may not see it that way," Goldenstar said. "I fear Rainstar may be right. It would make sense for them to settle there."

A white-furred StormClan she-cat cleared her throat. "When the medicine cats ventured to Highstones at the half-moon, we didn't see any evidence of other cats," she said.

"The rocklands are vast, and they could be hiding anywhere," Goldenstar pointed out. "But thank you, Icefang. Perhaps RainClan should send a patrol of cats to check out the area, and see if any cats are hiding there."

"Just RainClan?" Ravenstar said. He didn't look happy. "I don't think so. If what you think is true, this is a threat to StormClan more than you. _My_ warriors should go."

"The rocklands border CloudClan, too. I'd like my warriors to be involved," said Galestar.

Rainstar stepped forward. "Leaders, you all make important points. However, this is not the problem of a single clan. This is a problem for all clans," she said. "I propose each leader selects cats from their own clan to travel to Highstones, and for all to go together as one group."

"We are not allies, Rainstar!" Ravenstar hissed.

"Every full moon we come together in peace – why shouldn't we be able to do the same for one journey?" Rainstar responded coolly. "Two warriors from each clan, at least one of them a senior warrior. Eight cats should be enough to threaten Sunstream and his allies, while remaining small enough to be discreet. This is my proposal."

Goldenstar was the first to agree. "Rainstar is right. This is a threat to all clans. We must work together."

Galestar nodded. "In order to preserve our territory, I agree. But it should be soon, to ensure safe travelling for any medicine cat or leader who wishes to meet with StarClan at Highstones."

The three leaders looked to Ravenstar. He sat, still as stone, for several long moments. Finally, he looked at his fellow leaders. "Fine. But if this quest isn't successful, StormClan will take matters into their own paws."

"Fair," Goldenstar said. "Then it's settled. On the night of the quarter-moon, two cats from each clan will meet here at Fourtrees and make the journey to Highstones. Leaders have until then to select their warriors and prepare them for the journey." The four leaders nodded. An excited murmur rippled through the clearing.

But Thorncloud was frozen in shock. Images from her dream flashed vividly in her mind. Running through the rocklands near Highstones, and the ominous words: _A sapling grows at Fourtrees_.


	14. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The Gathering ended, and Thorncloud followed her clan back through the forest. She spoke to no one; her mind was reeling at the realizations that were swirling through her head. Bumblestripe had tried making his way over to her when the meeting ended – perhaps he'd had the same thought – but Thorncloud had turned away, unable to speak about it until she had fully worked out her thoughts.

 _A sapling grows at Fourtrees_.

Of course, there had always been four great oaks, one for each clan, just as there were four seasons. No wonder Thorncloud hadn't been able to find a real sapling all those nights ago at Fourtrees when she and Bumblestripe spoke about their shared dream for the first time. That felt so long ago now that it was but a distant memory.

But the words of her dream had new meaning now. At least, some of them. Perhaps StarClan meant that the 'sapling' that Thorncloud had misinterpreted, was actually the beginning of a new clan – a new group formed by the exiled Sunstream of RainClan.

And they were making their base near Highstones. Of that, Thorncloud was relatively certain. It would explain why she and Bumblestripe had dreamt they were wandering in the rocklands. Starflower had been trying to give them a clue of where to go. Now she was especially annoyed that she hadn't ventured to Highstones at the half-moon.

 _Both sun and rain cannot co-exist_.

Thorncloud mulled it over in her mind, but this part of the prophecy she couldn't decipher. Her first instinct was to think of the weather. She knew better than to take it at face value, though. The only thing related to the sun and rain that could think of were Sunstream and RainClan… yet it was too obvious to her that Sunstream couldn't co-exist with RainClan, the clan he was exiled from.

Putting aside the thoughts for now, she was reminded of the strange RainClan-like scent she had encountered at the half-moon, when she guarded SnowClan's camp. She had completely forgotten! That could have been Sunstream or one of his allies. Knowing that it was the half-moon and they could be spotted at Highstones, maybe they'd slunk back into the forest to keep their presence a secret. She couldn't believe it had slipped her mind.

At once, she knew she had to speak with Rainstar. None of these realizations would be worth it if she couldn't get a place in the group that would travel to Highstones. If she wasn't chosen, she would have to find a way to follow them.

One thing was for certain: she _needed_ to see if her suspicions were correct.

Because she was trailing at the back of the group, lost in thought, Thorncloud was the last cat to get to camp. Already it seemed as if the news had spread amongst the other ccats, and nearly every SnowClan cat had gathered below the Highrock as if expecting Rainstar to speak.

There was a reluctance to her gait as Rainstar climbed to the top of the rock. There was no need to call the usual summons; everyone was already there. "SnowClan, by now you've heard at least part of the story from the Gathering tonight," she began, and then recounted the discussion that had gone on for those who weren't present. By the end of the tale, every cat was buzzing with a mixture of worry and excitement.

"Who will be chosen to go?" Foxtail called, voicing the question that was on every cat's mind.

"It will take me some time to decide," Rainstar answered calmly. Thorncloud breathed a sigh of relief. She would have a chance to make her case. "For now, every cat should continue their duties as usual. Sunstream's threat will not let us forget that we still have to function normally."

Without another word, she ended the meeting and went straight to her den. The clan dispersed, chattering animatedly. Thorncloud spotted Tallfeather lingering by the entrance to the medicine den, deep in thought. When he caught her eye, she padded over to him.

"You need to be one of the cats that go," he said right away, surprising Thorncloud with the tenacity in his tone. "This is related to your dream, isn't it?" He made sure to keep his voice low so no other cat could hear.

"I'm glad you think so, too," Thorncloud said. "I thought I might've been jumping to conclusions."

"No, it all makes sense." She expected him to be just as excited about the discovery as she was, but instead his expression was laced with concern. "I think you should tell Rainstar about your dream."

Thorncloud certainly hadn't been expecting _that_. "Absolutely not," she said quickly.

"But you could be an asset to the journey," Tallfeather pressed. "It would give Rainstar a reason to choose you. StarClan obviously wants us to know of this threat, or they wouldn't have sent you the dream."

Thorncloud shook her head. Something was stopping her from passing on the information to anyone. Bumblestripe certainly wouldn't be happy, even if she left him out of the story. "No, Tallfeather, I _can't_. First I want to see if I'm right before I go spreading around messages from StarClan." She looked at him pleadingly. "You understand, don't you?"

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded. "Alright," he conceded. "But I'm going to recommend you to Rainstar tomorrow. I think she'll agree. You're one of our most promising young warriors." Affection sparkled in his eyes.

"Thank you," Thorncloud said, lowering her head, embarrassed. "I appreciate that."

"Anything for my favourite warrior," Tallfeather teased. The camp was beginning to thin out as cats returned to their dens. Thorncloud yawned, feeling the weight of exhaustion kicking in. "Would you, er…" The pink insides of Tallfeather's ears seemed to turn even brighter pink. "Would you like to join me tonight?"

Thorncloud suppressed the urge to shout _yes!_ as loudly as her lungs could shout it. She forced herself to glance around to make sure nobody was watching, then nodded, and followed Tallfeather inside.

As they settled down to sleep, Thorncloud breathed in Tallfeather's sweet scent and huddled closer to his warm fur. Finally, she thought, things seemed to be looking up.

The days following the Gathering passed sluggishly. It was as if all of SnowClan was waiting with bated breath for Rainstar's decision. Thorncloud made sure to keep herself busy, but she couldn't help glancing over at Rainstar's den to see if the leader was emerging to make the announcement.

Finally, after a few days, Rainstar emerged from her den. She leapt onto the Highrock and called the summons. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Every cat practically raced out into the clearing below the rock, murmuring excitedly. Thorncloud was among the first to arrive, having just returned from helping Tallfeather collect more travelling herbs for the cats that were chosen. He sat next to her as they looked up at Rainstar, and entwined his tail with hers briefly for reassurance.

Thorncloud's whole body was buzzing with what felt like lightning. Tallfeather had kept to his promise and recommended her to Rainstar, but even he could not say how she had taken the suggestion. Rainstar was tricky like that; it was never easy to tell what was lurking behind her icy eyes.

"I'm sure you all know why I've called this meeting," Rainstar began. "In two days, two warriors must travel with cats of other clans to investigate the threat at Highstones. After much deliberation, I've made my choices." She regarded them all with a level gaze. Tension seemed to crackle in the air. "The first cat will be Thorncloud."

Thorncloud's chest could have burst from pride. A murmur of approval rose up from the other cats. She felt Tallfeather nudge her side. "Thank you, Rainstar," she said, forcing herself to be composed. "I won't let you down."

Rainstar nodded. The clearing fell silent again. "The second cat will be a more senior warrior, as every clan agreed." Thorncloud looked around. She wondered who would be accompanying her. Her eyes landed on Stoneclaw, the eager senior warrior. He would be a natural choice. Windheart would also have been a good choice, though not as experienced, and she had an apprentice to attend to. Foxtail and Springfoot were good options, but they were the clan's best hunters, and it would be a shame to lose them for a few days.

"The other cat I've chosen is Copperfur." Rainstar's words hung in the air. Vaguely, Thorncloud heard the others give words of congratulation. She wished the ground would swallow her up, or that some cat from StarClan would descend and make Rainstar change her mind.

Looking over at her fellow warrior, she saw that Copperfur, though meeting the congratulations with a smile, did not look overly pleased. He met her eyes for a moment, and then looked away.

Tallfeather leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It'll be fine," he said, as though he sensed her anxiety. "Just focus on the mission."

Thorncloud nodded, but her paws felt numb. _Oh, StarClan, why couldn't it have been_ any _other cat?_

A few cats came up to give their praise, and she made herself smile. Springfoot was overjoyed to see her foster daughter chosen for such an important mission, and wouldn't stop grooming her, muttering something about looking presentable for the other clans.

"I don't have to leave for another two days, Springfoot," Thorncloud said, smacking the she-cat playfully with her tail.

"Oh, I know, but I'm just so proud of you!" Springfoot cooed. Thorncloud met Tallfeather's eyes. His whiskers twitched in amusement. She rolled her eyes.

Owlpaw, Twigpaw, and Ivypaw bounded up to her. "Thorncloud, Thorncloud!" Twigpaw exclaimed. "I knew Rainstar would choose you!"

"It's true, he did!" Ivypaw chimed in. "He said it two days ago, he said 'I bet she chooses Thorncloud, she's the best warrior in the clan'!"

"Will you really get to fight a bunch of rogues?" Owlpaw asked, his eyes wide. For a moment, he actually reminded Thorncloud of an owl.

"I hope it won't come to that, but it's possible," Thorncloud said. "I'll make sure to tell you all about it when I get back."

The apprentices chattered excitedly as they left her alone, making bets on whether or not she would get ripped apart by Sunstream. She shook her head. Being an apprentice felt so long ago, and she was still barely a warrior.

And now she had her first mission. A bittersweet taste was on her tongue as she retrieved a mouse from the fresh-kill pile to share with Springfoot. She was finally able to investigate the dream that had haunted her for so many nights.

But she had to do it with _Copperfur_.


	15. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The night of the quarter moon came quickly. The couple of days following Rainstar's decision was a flurry of activity as Thorncloud endured preparations for the journey. It was becoming apparent that SnowClan was very short on warriors; with Thorncloud and Copperfur gone, there would only be 5 remaining, seeing as Tigerfang still hadn't been reinstated as a warrior yet.

The good news was that newleaf was turning into greenleaf, and it was getting warmer every day. Leafkit and Daisykit were nearly ready to be apprenticed, and Owlpaw and Twigpaw were likely only moons away from becoming warriors.

Before leaving camp, Thorncloud ate the travelling herbs that Tallfeather had prepared. "Couldn't you sneak some yarrow into Copperfur's to make him sick?" she whispered, earning her a playful shove from the medicine cat.

When they were ready to leave, it was as if the entire clan had come to see them off. Thorncloud had said a proper goodbye to Tallfeather earlier, when no cat could spy on their affectionate interactions, but all of the other cats were eager to wish her luck. Most of all the apprentices, Springfoot, and Blizzardpelt were intent on giving her proper goodbyes. As predicted, Springfoot spent most of the time grooming her (as if she wasn't just about to get dirty again on the journey), and Blizzardpelt gave her some sage advice, while the apprentices mainly ran around yapping about whether or not Thorncloud had the chops to make it back in one piece.

It seemed that she had spoken to just about everyone when Tigerfang padded up to where Thorncloud sat at the gorse tunnel. "Er, I just wanted to say…" she said, kneading the ground awkwardly with her paws. "I know you probably don't need luck, but good luck anyway. You're the right cat for the job."

Stunned by her sister's words, Thorncloud didn't reply for a moment. Then she smiled sadly. "Thank you, Tigerfang," she said, making sure to use her warrior name instead of calling her Tigerpaw like everybody else was.

Tigerfang lit up, but didn't dare edge forward for an embrace. Thorncloud's paws itched to jump toward her, but she kept her composure. Tigerfang's ears twitched as Copperfur came up next to her. He cleared his throat. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.

Thorncloud's throat tightened, and she pushed away the emotional thoughts that Tigerfang's words had brought. "Just about," she said. She smiled softly at her foster sister. "I'll see you soon," she promised.

Tigerfang nodded, and then nervously edged forward to touch noses with Thorncloud. She quickly stepped back. A few paces away, Thorncloud could see Rainstar watching from afar. _When I get back_ , she thought _, I'll tell her to make Tigerfang a warrior again._ It had been a moon since her punishment had started, and Tigerfang's old nest was dusty and cold in the warriors' den. It was time she reclaimed it.

Last of all the cats, the SnowClan leader approached. Tigerfang retreated to the rest of the clan, taking her place beside Springfoot. Copperfur came to sit beside her, facing Rainstar.. Thorncloud tried her best to ignore him, and met the eyes of her leader.

"I know you'll both make SnowClan proud," Rainstar said. Thorncloud and Copperfur both bowed their heads respectfully. The day before, Rainstar had given them both an extensive list of instructions for the journey, mostly about how to interact peacefully with the other clans and how to minimize the need for a fight if they came into contact with Sunstream and his rogues. There wasn't much else to say now; Rainstar just nodded, and Thorncloud took that to mean it was time to go.

They ducked through the tunnel, hearing the encouraging shouts of the cats behind them. Thorncloud couldn't help but smile. For the first time in a while, she felt of use to her clan.

Copperfur walked stiffly next to her as they got farther away from camp. Thorncloud kept a few paces ahead of him. She had no desire to talk to him, and hoped he felt the same way about her.

Unfortunately, about halfway to Fourtrees, Copperfur caught up with her. "I hope we can be civil on this mission," he said evenly, keeping his eyes trained on the path ahead of him.

"I will if you are," Thorncloud replied, trying to appear indifferent.

"We used to be close. Let's just pretend that hasn't changed."

Thorncloud just barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "I treat you like a fellow warrior, nothing else," she said. "As long as you don't pick any fights in front of the other clans, I'm happy."

"I'm not going to pick any fights!"

"Good." Thorncloud sped up, practically breaking into a run to keep ahead of him. She was panting by the time she reached Fourtrees, and hovered at the top of the ravine.

Down below, two CloudClan warriors were waiting by the Great Rock. She recognized Duskfur by his silver tabby pelt, but the other cat sitting next to the deputy was unfamiliar to her. She waited until she heard Copperfur walking up behind her and then she plunged down to meet them.

As she got closer, the CloudClan cats looked up. The unfamiliar she-cat's pelt was solid black on top, from nose to tail, while every fur on the bottom half of her body was white. Thorncloud waved her tail in greeting.

"Good evening, SnowClan warriors," Duskfur said. "I don't think we've met officially. I'm Duskfur, and this is Ebonystreak."

"Hi!" Ebonystreak said. The greeting was all it took for Thorncloud to realize this must be an inexperienced warrior. She had a youthful gleam in her eye, and seemed to be shivering with excitement.

"I'm Thorncloud, and this is Copperfur," Thorncloud said, and realized a moment too late that Copperfur, as the more senior warrior, probably should have been the one to introduce them. Quickly she said, "I'm surprised that CloudClan decided to send their deputy."

"It was important to Galestar to have the clan well-represented," Duskfur said. "Look, there's StormClan arriving now."

Thorncloud turned to see two cats running down to meet them. Thorncloud recognized Flameclaw, the white tom with ginger accents who she'd met a few moons ago. The other cat had long, dark grey fur.

"Hello Flameclaw, Shadepool," Duskfur greeted.

Flameclaw, the more senior warrior, just nodded. Shadepool was quite composed, her amber eyes flickering around the group suspiciously, as if afraid one of them might attack any moment. She certainly wasn't as young as Ebonystreak; Thorncloud guessed that StormClan had wanted to send two experienced warriors.

RainClan arrived last, and Thorncloud had to contain her joy when she saw Bumblestripe's mottled pelt streaking down the side of the ravine. Pebblefoot was with him. She was glad to know at least a few cats on this mission, so that she had others to talk to instead of Copperfur.

As soon as all of the introductions were done, the eight cats sat looking at one another. Duskfur moved first. "Let's go on, then," he said, and began leading the way up towards CloudClan territory.

"Shouldn't we go through StormClan territory?" Flameclaw said as they walked. "There's a more direct route to Highstones."

Duskfur shook his head. "If we went that way, we'd have to cross the Thunderpath twice," he pointed out. Flameclaw looked like he wanted to protest, but he kept silent. Thorncloud realized it was a smart move for Galestar to give her deputy as one of the chosen warriors. That gave Duskfur the most authority of any of them.

There was an air of awkwardness among the group as they walked. Thorncloud made sure to stick close to Bumblestripe and Pebblefoot so that Copperfur wouldn't have a chance to talk to her. The red-furred warrior was walking with Flameclaw and Shadepool, keeping his distance from her. Not used to travelling as allies, nobody in the group seemed sure of how to act.

Thorncloud, however, was entirely comfortable walking next to Bumblestripe. She must have been the only cat there with a proper friend in the group who wasn't from her own clan. Sure, cats met under a truce at the full moon, but most didn't consider one another friends by the end of the night.

 _What does it mean that I'm more comfortable around RainClan cats than my own clan?_ she wondered as they neared the Thunderpath. She wasn't even threatened by Pebblefoot, as muscular as he was, because of the friendly glint in his eye. They walked along the side of the path for a while. Thorncloud had rarely gone across the Thunderpath, and she couldn't help flinching whenever a raging monster sped past.

Eventually, some of the tension eased and the cats began chatting to one another. "How are things in RainClan?" she asked Bumblestripe.

"Not bad," he answered. "Twolegs have started visiting the river more often to catch fish, so that's made it harder to hunt. But we're still doing alright."

Thorncloud noticed Pebblefoot glance at his clan mate in surprise. Usually cats of enemy clans didn't share their weaknesses so nonchalantly with one another. She wished she could tell Bumblestripe to be less friendly, or else the more experienced warrior might realize just how familiar they were with one another.

"So, Pebblefoot," she said quickly, changing the subject. "Do you have an apprentice?"

"No," said the older warrior. "Goldenstar thinks I'm best suited to leading hunting patrols at the moment."

"Pebblefoot is one of our best fishers!" Bumblestripe said. "It's those big paws of his. No fish could escape those!"

Pebblefoot let out a snort of laughter. "Thank you, Bumblestripe," he said coolly.

"I'm sure you'll get an apprentice soon, though," Bumblestripe said. He looked at Thorncloud. "Did you know my mother Blossomheart had another kit a few moons ago? I have a little brother! I'm _sure_ you'll apprentice Treekit, Pebblefoot."

"You have a lot of confidence in me." Pebblefoot looked amused by the younger warrior's enthusiasm. "But you know it's Goldenstar who makes the decisions."

"Who else is going to mentor him? Old Hollyclaw?"

"You should learn to respect your elders, Bumblestripe."

"I do!"

Thorncloud watched them squabble with amusement. She couldn't remember the last time she had such a fond conversation with a warrior from her own clan, and couldn't help the burning jealousy she felt at seeing such a bond between clan mates.

By the time the sun began to rise, the group had reached the edge of CloudClan territory. The Thunderpath stretched in front of them, and beyond it, the rocklands. It was hard to make out any details across the landscape, just rock mounds and the occasional tree or shrub. Even farther away, mountains taller than the biggest oak tree at Fourtrees rose high into the sky, stretching towards the clouds.

Thorncloud had only been to Highstones once before, on the mandatory journey that all apprentices had to take before becoming a warrior. She couldn't suppress a gasp at how beautiful it looked now, with the rising sun casting light across the jagged rocks, and long shadows swallowing the horizon. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

"From now on we should tread carefully," Pebblefoot said.

"Once we cross the Thunderpath, who knows what we'll find," Duskfur agreed.

"We can take a few rogues," Ebonystreak mewed.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," said Copperfur.

A monster roared past, ruffling their fur. Its stench filled the air and disrupted the peaceful morning glow. Flameclaw and Shadepool were the first to approach the strange black surface. StormClan warriors were generally more experienced with crossing the Thunderpath.

"Let's go in pairs," Pebblefoot suggested.

"Each clan will go together," Duskfur said.

Thorncloud frowned. "Isn't it a better idea to mix up the pairs?" she asked. Eyes turned to her. She shrunk under the gaze of the senior warriors. "I just thought… maybe…"

But Pebblefoot was nodding his head. "I can see the value of that," he said. Thorncloud breathed a sigh of relief at having a more experienced warrior's support. "In case something happens, it would be terrible to have two cats of the same clan injured or worse."

"So I'm supposed to risk my pelt crossing with a cat I don't trust?" Shadepool asked.

"No, I agree with Pebblefoot," Copperfur said. Thorncloud narrowed his eyes at him. It was _her_ idea in the first place. "Let's say, StarClan forbid, that a monster hit two cats of the same clan when they were crossing. That clan wouldn't have anyone to return to their camp and tell them what we discover."

Duskfur and Ebonystreak nodded in agreement. Flameclaw reluctantly agreed as another monster rumbled past. Only Shadepool looked unhappy, but she didn't voice her concerns.

"Alright," Duskfur said. "Flameclaw, you go first with Ebonystreak. Then Bumblestripe and I will go, followed by Copperfur and Shadepool. Last will be Thorncloud and Pebblefoot."

There was a murmur of agreement, and everyone took up their positions. Ebonystreak looked the most nervous, standing next to the seasoned Flameclaw, who looked as if he could do this in his sleep. He watched the Thunderpath carefully, letting two monsters run past, before he snapped "Now!" and lunged out of the grass. Ebonystreak followed right on his heels, and moments later, they skidded to a halt on the other side.

"Good luck!" Thorncloud said to Bumblestripe as he took his position next to Duskfur. He twitched his ears to show he'd heard, and waited patiently for an opening to cross. Thorncloud watched with bated breath as they ran, reaching the other side just in time for a snarling monster to streak past.

Copperfur and Shadepool went next, crossing with plenty of time to spare before the next monster. The six warriors waited impatiently on the other side while Pebblefoot and Thorncloud stepped up to the warm, smooth surface of the Thunderpath.

Thorncloud glanced sideways at Pebblefoot. The older tom's whiskers were twitching nervously. She guessed that he was just as nervous as she was. "I've only crossed the Thunderpath once before," he confessed, glancing left and right nervously.

"Me too."

With the sun rising higher, more and more monsters were beginning to arrive. The Thunderpath was always more active the higher the sun rose, and Thorncloud suddenly wished they had met at Fourtrees earlier.

"Come on!" Flameclaw meowed from the other side. Shadepool was grooming her long fur impatiently, while Copperfur was pacing just a few pawsteps away.

"You can do it!" Bumblestripe called encouragingly.

Thorncloud nodded and took a deep breath. One, two, three more monsters roared past. Thorncloud watched carefully as one more appeared in the distance. "After this one," she said, and Pebblefoot nodded in agreement. "Ready…" she murmured as it came closer. It thundered past their faces, and Thorncloud shouted, "Now!" She would have sworn by StarClan that her paws had never moved faster as she galloped forward.

Her lungs heaved with the effort of sprinting. She kept her eyes ahead at her destination, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. Moving so quickly, she didn't see the sharp stone in her path. She stumbled as the stone sank into the soft pad of her paw, and she let out a hiss of pain.

"Look out!" Bumblestripe's voice called. A roaring filled the air that Thorncloud recognized as the sound of an approaching monster. Fear tugged at every hair on her pelt.

Limping towards the grass on the other side as fast as her three paws could carry her, fear engulfed her. The roaring got louder. Pebblefoot had already reached the other side, and his head swung wildly to the side to watch the approaching beast.

"Hurry!" Ebonystreak meowed, her eyes wide with fear.

Thorncloud didn't dare look up to see how close the monster was. Her paw felt split in two. She paused to shake the rock out, and a spot of blood splattered onto the dark surface beneath her. She would never make it across limping, she knew; rearing back on her haunches, she prepared to jump the last few tail-lengths across.

Teeth closed around the scruff of her neck, and she felt herself being hauled forward. She tried to get a grip on the ground, but whoever had her held on tightly. She landed roughly on the side of the Thunderpath just as a swerving monster bolted past.

Her breath came quickly, her eyes wide with fear at just how close she had come to being hit. She looked up – Pebblefoot stood over her. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Weakly, she nodded, and lifted her paw to lick her wound. Her whole foot throbbed dully. "Thank you," she said between licks.

Bumblestripe rushed to her side. "I thought you were monster-kill for sure!" he exclaimed.

"Pebblefoot saved my life," she said, gingerly setting down her paw. The pain had eased slightly, but blood dappled the sandy dirty she sat on.

"Mouse-brain!" Shadepool said, her voice frothing with anger. "Why'd you slow down?"

"A sharp stone cut my pad," Thorncloud said, suppressing her annoyance. "I was going to jump the last part because my paws couldn't carry me fast enough."

"It's a good thing Pebblefoot stepped in," Duskfur said, looking shaken. "That monster would have swallowed you whole."

The group lingered by the Thunderpath for a while longer, catching their breath. Thorncloud wished she had some cobwebs to stop the bleeding on her paw, but all she had was a small patch of grass by the Thunderpath's edge, so she used that.

"I don't like sitting out here in the open," Flameclaw said after a while.

"Me neither," Duskfur agreed. "We need to start looking for signs of Sunstream. Thorncloud, can you manage walking?"

Thorncloud nodded. "The bleeding's stopped, so I'll be okay," she said, wincing as she set her paw down on the dusty ground.

Copperfur was wandering away from the group. He stooped to sniff a clump of ferns several fox-lengths away. "Hey! Someone put a scent marker here!" he said.

Duskfur and Flameclaw followed him to sniff the ferns. "He's right," Flameclaw said. "It smells vaguely like RainClan, but…. different?"

A gust of wind blew through, bringing the scent towards the rest of the group. Pebblefoot and Bumblestripe were both nodding. "I recognize that scent," Pebblefoot said. "That's Scorchback, one of the cats that left with Sunstream. But you're right, it's slightly different."

"Maybe they have their own group scent now, like any of our clans," said Shadepool.

Copperfur scented the air, and began walking farther away. "They went this way," he said, picking up the scent on a small patch of grass. The group began to follow, Thorncloud limping along at the back next to Ebonystreak.

"Let me know if you need a shoulder to lean on," the she-cat meowed quietly, and Thorncloud gave her a thankful look. She was liking the CloudClan cats more and more.

Bumblestripe moved to the front of the group to walk with Copperfur. He followed the trail expertly, and Thorncloud thought he must be a great tracker to look so confident. "There was another cat with him," he said, sniffing a flat rock. He looked at Pebblefoot. "It's Dawnstrike," he announced. "And I think she had her apprentice with her, Eaglepaw."

"How many cats did Sunstream take with him?" Shadepool asked, her nose wrinkling as she sniffed the scent marker.

"Four," Pebblefoot said. "Scorchback, Dawnstrike, Eaglepaw, and Sunstream's own apprentice, Turtlepaw."

"So there's only five of them," Flameclaw said, shrugging his shoulder. "We can take them, no problem."

"We may not even have to fight," Copperfur said. "If we just spy on them, and report back what we find…"

"We're not going all this way just to _watch_ ," Shadepool snapped.

"Hey!" Bumblestripe called. He was much farther ahead now, where the two diverging Thunderpaths met. Across the road from them was StormClan territory. "There's a scent here I don't recognize!"

Duskfur, Flameclaw, Pebblefoot, and Copperfur bounded after him to investigate. Thorncloud tried to limp as fast as she could beside Ebonystreak, while Shadepool sulked ahead, not as eager to join the others.

By the time they reached the other half of the group, they were deep in the heat of an argument. "No, those definitely aren't RainClan cats," Pebblefoot was saying.

"Well, they carry a similar scent to Sunstream and his friends," Copperfur said. "They must be part of the same group."

"Rogues and clan cats together?" Duskfur asked, looking unconvinced.

"When have StormClan cats ever found rogues this close to the rocklands, anyway?" Flameclaw pointed out. "Around Carrionplace, sure, or near the border with SnowClan. But I've been to Highstones a few times, and never seen rogues around here."

"They could have come from up there," Bumblestripe said, pointing his tail to where the Thunderpath disappeared far past the rocklands and StormClan territory. "Or even from the farm at CloudClan's north border. There are Twoleg nests beyond there."

"Sunstream never seemed to have interest in rogues," Pebblefoot pointed out. "He always wanted to lead RainClan."

"Maybe trying to lead a bunch of rogues is second best," Ebonystreak suggested. "If their scents are mingling, they're probably spending a lot of time together."

"Making a new clan," Pebblefoot murmured. He let out a deep sigh. "Up until he attacked Goldenstar, Sunstream had been such a noble warrior. None of us would have known he had such ambition."

Thorncloud listened intently to the whole conversation. In her mind, the words _a sapling grows at Fourtrees_ kept repeating, over and over. "There can only be four clans," she said. "If Sunstream really is trying to build his own, we have to stop him."

Both RainClan and CloudClan cats, as well as Flameclaw, nodded their heads somberly. Shadepool glanced around, her eyes narrowed. "We shouldn't sit here like fresh-kill waiting to be spotted," she said. "If they have a dawn patrol, they might come by here."

All in agreement, the group delved deeper into the rocklands, ears perked for signs of any other cats. Thorncloud couldn't shake the horrible feeling that clung to her pelt. If Sunstream was teaming up with rogues, the forest clans would have to go up against more cats than they first thought. All at once, her dream was coming true, and the implications were far worse than she had imagined.


	16. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Before long, the rocky landscape began blending together in Thorncloud's mind. They had passed the grassy land that bordered the Thunderpath and were now in the thick of the rocky terrain, crossing exposed hills and climbing boulders. They found a few more scent markers, and knew they must be on the edge of Sunstream's territory. The air thickened with the rising sun, and by sunhigh, the heat made it feel like the middle of greenleaf. Without the canopy of trees that the forest cats were used to, it wasn't long before they had to stop for a break.

"We need water," Shadepool panted. The darker-pelted cats were suffering the most. The sun clung to their dark fur. Thorncloud, Bumblestripe, and Ebonystreak all nodded along with her.

Pebblefoot, Flameclaw, Duskfur, and Copperfur were less susceptible to the sun's rays, but they were still exhausted. "There has to be a pool of water around here," Duskfur said.

"Let's scout ahead and see what we can find," Flameclaw said, flicking his tail in Pebblefoot's direction. The two warriors departed, leaving the remaining six to huddle under the shade of an outcrop of rocks.

"How can they survive out here without any cover?" Bumblestripe wondered.

"Especially since RainClan are so used to the river," Ebonystreak added.

"It's strange we haven't run into any of them," said Duskfur.

"I'd guess they're closer to Mothermouth, where there are dark caves to hide in," Shadepool said. "Mothermouth isn't the only big cave on that mountain."

Thorncloud exchanged a look with Bumblestripe. Both of them knew that their dream had been close to Mothermouth. "Maybe we should head in that direction, then," she suggested.

Not long after, Pebblefoot and Flameclaw returned, their eyes bright. "There's a stream not too far away," Pebblefoot announced, and led them out of the shade of the boulders. As soon as Bumblestripe caught sight of the stream, he bounded forward and splashed into the cool water, letting out a sigh of happiness. "Now _this_ is more like it," he said.

"Great, now we're going to be drinking in your fur," Shadepool grumbled, and moved more upstream to take a drink. Thorncloud dipped her head to the gently trickling water and lapped it up, feeling a pleasant cold sensation as it cooled her down from the inside out. She hadn't realized how parched she was.

When she had finished drinking her fill, she padded over to where Bumblestripe was lounging in the shallows. He opened his eyes when she approached. "It's not as good as the river in RainClan territory, but it does the trick," he said.

Thorncloud watched with amusement, but stayed back from the water. "I don't see how you can enjoy swimming around," she said.

He shrugged. "Guess that's just my RainClan blood!"

Thorncloud frowned. _She_ had RainClan blood, too, though Bumblestripe didn't know that. Slowly, she padded towards the edge of the stream, and dipped her sore paw in. The cool water felt nice on her injured pad. She eased her front legs in, and shivered as the water clung to her fur. The stream wasn't very deep – she could touch the bottom easily with her paws.

"I feel like I'm watching a kit take her first steps," Bumblestripe teased, but fell silent when Thorncloud shot him a glare. She braced herself and took the plunge, dropping her hind legs into the water. She unsheathed her claws to grip the streambed, her teeth chattering with nerves. It wasn't a fast-flowing stream; the water whorled gently around her, not strong enough to push her downstream. Even if it was less intimidating than the river near SnowClan territory, it was still mildly terrifying.

"There you go!" Bumblestripe said. He splashed over to her. "Not so bad, is it?"

"Could be worse," Thorncloud muttered, and sank down so that only her head and neck were above the water. She had to admit, it felt nice after being stuck in the heat.

Copperfur walked past, eyeing them suspiciously. He snorted at Thorncloud in the water and stalked away. Bumblestripe frowned. "What's up with him?" he asked.

"Don't mind Copperfur, he lives with his tail in a twist." Thorncloud turned away from her clan mate and dipped her head into the water to cool down.

Pebblefoot waded through the stream towards them. "A SnowClan cat in the water? Have hedgehogs flown?" he teased. Thorncloud flicked water at him with her claw and then stood up. She felt twice as heavy as the water clung to her fur. Pebblefoot leapt out of the stream and sent water droplets flying as he shook himself dry. "We're going to move on now. Duskfur thinks we should reach Highstones before dark," he said.

Thorncloud and Bumblestripe climbed out beside him and shook off the excess water. The SnowClan cat knew that her fur would dry quickly in the sun, but until then, it was nice to have something to cool her down as they walked.

"I wonder what they eat?" Ebonystreak asked as she padded to Thorncloud's side. "I haven't seen even a mouse!" Off to the side, Shadepool scoffed, and turned away. Thorncloud frowned, but ignored the antisocial StormClan cat and looked back to her friends.

"There might be fish in the streams," Bumblestripe said. "And they're all RainClan cats, so they'd know how to fish."

"Maybe, but it probably isn't enough to sustain them," Thorncloud said. Her own stomach rumbled at the thought of food. "They've been scented in StormClan and CloudClan territory, so they're probably catching prey there."

Ebonystreak bristled. "I can't wait to get my claws on those stealing rogues!"

Bumblestripe nodded in agreement. Thorncloud walked closer to Duskfur. "Should we stop and hunt soon?" she asked. "We haven't eaten since yesterday."

The CloudClan deputy nodded. "As soon as we find prey, yes," he said. "I think we'll find some closer to the mountains, where it's cooler."

The sun was beginning to sink again by the time they reached the base of Highstones. Higher up, Thorncloud could see just the edge of Mothermouth, a gaping hole in the side of the mountain. She looked around; her fur tingled as she realized how close she was to the place in her dream. With a glance at Bumblestripe, she knew he sensed it too.

Duskfur led them up the rocks. The cats walked in silence. Whether it was because of the sacred place they were near, or because they feared running into Sunstream and his warriors, Thorncloud wasn't sure. They passed a few shrubs, and Thorncloud heard a snake hissing in the undergrowth. It was the first sign of life they had come across.

Ebonystreak ran from the group and climbed a rocky outcrop to their right, moving swiftly and silently. For a moment, Thorncloud thought she was running from the snake, but then she saw what Ebonystreak was after – a huge rabbit, munching on the leaves of a bush. The rest of the group stopped to watch as she prowled along the rocks. Too late the rabbit saw its hunter. It tried to hop away, but Ebonystreak was faster.

She returned to the group with her catch and proudly set it down. "Help yourselves," she offered, and sprang away to hunt again. Duskfur followed her, and nobody protested. The CloudClan cats were far better at catching rabbits than the rest of them.

Shadepool didn't bother with the rabbit. She stalked off to hunt StarClan-knew-what while Flameclaw and Pebblefoot shared the fresh-kill. Duskfur and Ebonystreak returned with another two rabbits, as well as a bird. They gave one rabbit to Bumblestripe and Thorncloud and kept the other for themselves, and gave the bird to Copperfur.

While they feasted in the shade of the sparse greenery that lined the rocks, Thorncloud had to suppress her excitement at sharing prey with her brother for the first time, even if he didn't know how special the moment was. She thought it was incredible to actually see cats of opposite clans getting along. With the exception of Shadepool, who was nowhere to be seen. It was approaching sunset by the time she returned, and to Thorncloud's disgust, she had _lizards_ dangling from her jaws.

"Lizards?!" Copperfur exclaimed, voicing Thorncloud's thoughts.

Shadepool set down her pile of fresh-kill. "The rocklands are full of them," she said. "This area really isn't as dead as you all think. There's plenty of prey, if you know what you're looking for."

And she began to devour the lizards. Thorncloud grimaced. They looked slimy and gross. She'd be sticking to forest prey, that was for sure!

"Let's keep going," Duskfur said. Shadepool gulped down her meal and the eight cats continued up the rock face. Instead of heading closer to Mothermouth, Duskfur led them away where the rocks plateaued, giving them a flat ledge to walk along.

"Look at this," Pebblefoot said, flicking his tail towards the wall of rock beside them. There were scratch marks, running vertically down the rock.

Duskfur put his paw up the rock and unsheathed his claws. The marks were wider than his claws stretched. "Are you sure it's a cat?" he asked.

"It could be a bear," Flameclaw said, glancing around nervously.

"Bears aren't that big," Shadepool said. "I've seen one before. Its paws were the size of rabbits."

Bumblestripe swerved through the line up of cats and moved to stand beside the CloudClan deputy. He lifted his paw, and it matched up with the scratches. "RainClan have bigger paws," he reminded them. "This was definitely made by Sunstream or one of the other exiled RainClan cats."

"Marking their territory," Pebblefoot agreed. "I think we're getting closer."

They continued on. They found a few more sets of scratches along the wall. They climbed higher, and the heat began to decline slowly as the sun crept closer to the horizon. With her belly full, some energy returned to Thorncloud's body. She was still in dire need of sleep – they all were – but her paw was just a dull throbbing now. She was sore from walking, but she had cleaned the wound as well as she could. She was no medicine cat, but she thought she had done an okay job of taking care of the cut.

But walking all day took its tolls, and Thorncloud could tell that it wasn't just her that wanted to stop and rest. When the sun dipped below the horizon, she realized it had been a full day of travel. She was about to open her mouth to ask to stop for the night when Duskfur suddenly raised his tail in warning and stopped in his tracks in front of a raised ledge.

Thorncloud's ears perked up, but she couldn't hear anything. Then a breeze wafted a scent towards her – it was the same sent they had picked up by the Thunderpath. Bumblestripe and Pebblefoot pushed to the front of the group to get a better look over the ledge that blocked their way. After a moment, Pebblefoot turned around and shrunk below the ledge, keeping low. The other cats followed suit, and the group sat crouched in anticipation for the news of what lay ahead.

"There's a flat area up there," Pebblefoot said. "The wall of the mountain sort of curves to surround it. It looks like there's some plants and growth, too."

"I saw a few small cave openings," Bumblestripe added.

"Are there cats?" Flameclaw asked.

Pebblefoot nodded gravely. "I saw Sunstream lounging on a tall, flat rock that overlooks them. It must be their camp."

"Dawnstrike and Eaglepaw were there, too," Bumblestripe said, his eyes alight with fury. "And they even have a fresh-kill pile!"

"Were there any rogues?" Thorncloud asked, remember the strange scents that mingled with the RainClan cats.

Pebblefoot nodded. "I saw a couple." He bristled. "It would seem he _is_ recruiting cats from outside clans. A few of them even looked like they could be kittypets."

"Ugh!" Shadepool hissed.

They all crouched in silence for a moment, turning over the news in their minds. Thorncloud licked her sore paw nervously. If they attacked, they were at a disadvantage for not knowing the space, or how many cats were ahead. But they would have the element of surprise on their side, and the cover of darkness.

"All cats gather beneath the Flatrock for a clan meeting!" Sunstream's voice echoed against the rocks, startling the group that hid in the shadows. Thorncloud tiptoed up to the ledge and peered over the side. Beside her, Bumblestripe watched anxiously, his ears twitching as they strained to hear.

Thorncloud had seen Sunstream before at Gatherings; as the former RainClan deputy, he had been at every one she'd been to before he left the forest. Now, he looked like a different cat. His golden fur, once sleek from swimming through the RainClan rivers, looked rough and sun-worn. He looked thinner than RainClan cats usually were, with a few ribs showing. His coat must have shed terribly in the heat. But she couldn't help noticing how powerful he still looked; climbing rocks every day would have kept him muscular.

She suppressed a gasp when cats began flowing from the caves. At first a few trickled out; she recognized Scorchback, a dark orange and white tom, and Turtlepaw, the mottled she-cat that Sunstream mentored. It was easy to spot Dawnstrike and Eaglepaw, too; the RainClan cats looked more well-groomed compared to the others.

And there _were_ others. Plenty of them. Some had the gaunt, fiersome look of rogues, while others were more plump, and had the signs of a groomed kittypet. A black tom, a blue-furred she-cat, a ginger rogue, a huge yellow kittypet… Thorncloud counted ten cats below the Flatrock on which Sunstream perched. Then her eyes widened as a calico queen emerged from a cave, pushing three kits in front of her. She fussed over them as they approached the Flatrock, and Thorncloud recognized what was going on immediately; these kits were about to be _apprenticed_.

"There's so many of them," Bumblestripe murmured, looking as shocked as she was.

Thorncloud could only nod as Sunstream looked down at the three kits with pride in his eyes. With him, the queen, and the three kits, that made fifteen cats in total. "Cats of SunClan," he called, "Tonight we gather beneath Silverpelt to initiate three new apprentices to our clan."

"SunClan!" Duskfur hissed. "He named it after himself!"

Thorncloud wished she was surprised, but she could already tell from looking at the cat that he was arrogant. "Bronzekit, Kestrelkit, and Thunderkit. Though you were not born into SunClan, your mother Queenie has left her Twolegs to give you three the opportunity to become great warriors. Please step forward."

The three tiny cats stumbled forward. Even at a distance Thorncloud could see their paws quivering with every step. The calico, Queenie, watched with sparkles in her eyes. "Bronzekit." The smallest kit, an orange tabby, lifted his head. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bronzepaw. Your mentor will be Scorchback. As our clan deputy, I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you." Scorchback stepped forward, his chin held high. "Scorchback, you are ready to take on an apprentice. In the process of creating our new clan, you have shown yourself to be loyal and cunning. You will mentor Bronzepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Scorchback dipped his head. Bronzepaw scrambled forward to touch noses with his new mentor, and both of them stepped back. The rest of the small clan chanted his name, "Bronzepaw! Bronzepaw!"

Sunstream repeated the process with the next kit, newly named Kestrelpaw. She was a calico, like her mother. Her mentor was a ginger tom that Thorncloud figured must have been a rogue, because Sunstream only referred to him as "Newt." Lastly was Thunderpaw, a white and orange tabby tom who was given a mentor named Hummingbird. She looked like a calico and a tabby combined, and had the ragged look of a rogue.

As the last of the cheering died out of Thunderpaw's name, Sunstream looked proudly on his clan. "SunClan, we have done what no other cat has been able to do – we have liberated ourselves from the forest cats, and come to live at Highstones. Our clan, though small, will one day be mighty. I, Sunstar, your noble leader, believe we will be the greatest clan in the forest!"

Yowls of agreement rose up from ex-clan cats and rogues alike. Thorncloud shook her head. He'd even given himself the name of a leader accepted by StarClan.

"Does that mean he's been granted nine lives?" Flameclaw spat. "If StarClan accepted this piece of crowfood as a clan leader, we all might as well go home now."

"He has a formidable force," Pebblefoot murmured. He watched as the cats began to disperse back to their caves. "Rogues, clan cats, and even kittypets. And now he's training more. He hasn't even been exiled for very long."

Thorncloud met Bumblestripe's eyes. _A sapling grows at Fourtrees_. It was coming true – four clans were becoming five. They had their own camp, their own territory… and their own leader and deputy. With the Twoleg nests around, they were bound to gather even more forces.

"We can't fight them," Bumblestripe said at once, echoing what had sprung to Thorncloud's mind. "They're too strong."

"We can take a couple of rogues and kittypets," Shadepool spat.

"Maybe one on one, but there are fifteen of them," Bumblestripe said. "Three of them are newly apprenticed, sure. But that still makes twelve against eight of us. Not even the best warriors can take on that many cats."

The group fell into an uneasy silence. Finally, Duskfur spoke up. "Okay, let's rest for the night. Tomorrow we'll hunt, get our strength up, and then figure out what we should do. We're all exhausted; there's no point in doing anything now."

Most cats nodded in agreement, though Shadepool looked like she would've rather attacked SunClan at that very moment. Together, they trekked back where they had come until they came to rest at a small plateau under the cover of a weak tree that grew from the side of the mountain.

As Thorncloud lay down to sleep, Bumblestripe settled next to her with a look of terror in his eyes. "It's all coming true," he whispered.

"I know." Thorncloud shared his pain. It was one thing to experience a prophecy, but it was another to see it unfold right before your eyes. Tenderly, she wrapped her tail around to comfort him.

Bumblestripe sighed, and closed his eyes. Thorncloud watched him for a moment. The words were on the tip of her tongue – _You're my brother!_ – but she clenched her jaw and pushed the thoughts away. She wanted more than anything for him to know they shared blood, but it wasn't her place to tell Bumblestripe the truth. That was Mottledfur's decision, and he had given that prospect a definite _no_.

With the shining stars above her head, Thorncloud closed her eyes and pleaded to her warrior ancestors that this mission wouldn't be her last.


	17. Allegiances Masterlist

**ALLEGIANCES**

(Warriors and apprentices are listed in order of seniority. Some of them might not have been mentioned yet, but trust me, they're there, waiting for their time to shine! Because StormClan and CloudClan have been covered less so far, their lists are quite short. Hopefully that will change later.)

* * *

SnowClan (23)

 **LEADER: Rainstar** – blue-grey she-cat with bright blue eyes

 **DEPUTY:** **Berryleaf** – black and white tom ( **Apprentice, Owlpaw** )

 **MEDICINE CAT: Tallfeather –** long-legged calico tom

 **WARRIORS: 7**

 **Stoneclaw** – light grey tabby tom

 **Foxtail** – orange tom with white-tipped tail

 **Springfoot** – dark brown tabby she-cat

 **Copperfur** – russet brown tom ( **Apprentice, Twigpaw** )

 **Windheart** – blue and cream she-cat with white paws ( **Apprentice, Ivypaw** )

 **Thorncloud** – tortoiseshell she-cat with black and orange fur

 **Tigerfang** – brown tabby she-cat with long eye teeth

 **APPRENTICES: 3**

 **Twigpaw** – light brown tabby tom with white chest

 **Owlpaw** – dark brown tabby tom

 **Ivypaw** – cream she-cat

 **QUEENS: 2**

 **Barktail** – white and brown she-cat, brown tail ( **Kits: Leafkit, Daisykit** )

 **Rosewhisker** – cream she-cat ( **Kits: Silk-kit, Petalkit, Tansykit** )

 **ELDERS: 3**

 **Pinetail** – blind, brown tom

 **Crowpelt** – jet black tom, greying with age

 **Blizzardpelt** – long haired white tom with green eyes; former deputy

* * *

RainClan (21)

 **LEADER: Goldenstar** – golden tom

 **DEPUTY: Mottledfur** – tortoiseshell tom with green eyes ( **Apprentice, Scalepaw** )

 **MEDICINE CAT: Junipernose** – white tom with black nose ( **Apprentice, Amberpaw** )

 **WARRIORS: 7**

 **Hollyclaw** – orange and black she-cat

 **Dapplejaw** – grey tabby and white she-cat with speckles on her jaw ( **Apprentice, Pathpaw** )

 **Creekbelly** – brown tom with darker brown points and a white underbelly ( **Apprentice, Flowerpaw** )

 **Fawnfoot** – black she-cat with white paws ( **Apprentice** , **Dewpaw** )

 **Pebblefoot** – white tom with grey paws and ears

 **Cloudstorm** – white she-cat with black and grey splotches, blue eyes

 **Bumblestripe** – black and golden tortoiseshell tom

 **APPRENTICES: 4**

 **Scalepaw** – grey tabby she-cat whose markings look uniquely like fish scales

 **Dewpaw** – red-furred tom with white-tipped ears

 **Pathpaw** – black tom

 **Amberpaw** – golden she-cat ( **medicine cat apprentice** )

 **QUEENS: 2**

 **Blossomheart** – brown tabby she-cat ( **Kits: Treekit)**

 **Flamefur –** orange she-cat ( **Kits: Russetkit, Peachkit** )

 **ELDERS: 2**

 **Rabbitleap** – white she-cat

 **Echobrook** – blue-grey tom

* * *

StormClan (6 known)

 **LEADER: Ravenstar** – sleek black tom with yellow eyes

 **DEPUTY: Talonstep** – light brown tabby tom with large claws

 **MEDICINE CAT: Icefang** – white she-cat

 **WARRIORS: 2**

 **Flameclaw** – white tom with ginger accents ( **Apprentice, Shadowpaw** )

 **Shadepool** – long-furred dark grey she-cat with amber eyes

 **APPRENTICES: Shadowpaw** – black tom

 **QUEENS:** unknown

 **ELDERS:** unknown

* * *

CloudClan (6 known)

 **LEADER: Galestar** – cream she-cat

 **DEPUTY: Duskfur** – silver tabby tom

 **MEDICINE CAT: Siennathroat** – white and red-brown she-cat

 **WARRIORS: Ebonystreak** – white she-cat with black streak from nose to tail

 **APPRENTICES:** unknown

 **QUEENS:** unknown

 **ELDERS: 2**

 **Whitewhisker** – black she-cat with white muzzle

 **Scarpelt** – brown tomcat with many battle scars

* * *

SunClan (15) – cats marked with a *star are former RainClan cats

 **LEADER: *** Sunstar – golden tom; former RainClan deputy ( **Apprentice, Turtlepaw** )

 **DEPUTY: *** Scorchback – dark orange and white tom ( **Apprentice, Bronzepaw** )

 **MEDICINE CAT:** none.

 **WARRIORS: 8**

 ***Dawnstrike** – chestnut brown she-cat ( **Apprentice, Eaglepaw** )

 **Newt** – ginger tom; former rogue ( **Apprentice, Kestrelpaw** )

 **Hummingbird** – unique calico/tabby she-cat; former rogue ( **Apprentice, Thunderpaw** )

 **Shadow** – long-furred black tom; former rogue

 **Twitch** – grey-skinned, mostly hairless tom with huge ears; former kittypet

 **Clip** – blue-furred she-cat with a clipped ear; former kittypet

 **Simba** – huge pale yellow tom; former kittypet

 **Queenie** – calico she-cat; former kittypet

 **APPRENTICES: 5**

 ***Turtlepaw** – mottled she-cat

 ***Eaglepaw** – white tom

 **Bronzepaw** – orange tabby tom

 **Kestrelpaw** – calico she-cat

 **Thunderpaw** – white and orange tom

 **QUEENS:** none.

 **ELDERS:** none.

* * *

Other mentioned cats

 **Woodstar** – former StormClan leader ( **deceased** )

 **Starflower** – former SnowClan queen, mother of Thorncloud and Bumblestripe ( **deceased** )

 **Brookpelt** – smokey grey she-cat with amber eyes ( **deceased** , killed by Tigerfang)

 **Poppytail** – former SnowClan medicine cat ( **deceased** )


	18. INTERLUDE - Tallfeather's Heart

**INTERLUDE: Tallfeather's Heart**

Tallfeather awoke in his den, but didn't get up right away. He lay in the moss, a lethargic weight clinging to his bones. He breathed in; the mossy bedding still had Thorncloud's faint scent on it. He sighed, his fur prickling at the sweet scent.

It had been quiet since Thorncloud and Copperfur had left. The clan continued their duties as usual, but the camp felt somehow emptier with the two warriors gone. Anxiety plucked at him to think of them crossing Thunderpaths and traversing rocklands. _I should have taught her a few simple remedies_ , he thought to himself. With any luck, at least one of the cats on the journey would have some knowledge of herbs in case something went wrong.

 _You mustn't think like that. Thorncloud is capable, she'll be fine._

A rustling outside of the rock cleft where he slept alerted him to the arrival of another cat to the medicine den. Getting to his paws, he stretched his long legs briefly and padded out to see who it was.

To his surprise, Rainstar was sitting patiently in the centre of the clearing, her icy blue eyes gazing around the den. Her fluffy tail was curled delicately around her paws. "Tallfeather," she said evenly. "I was hoping you were awake."

He squinted at the light that snuck through the gaps in the den. He wasn't sure of the time, but it must have been very early in the morning. "What brings you to my den today, Rainstar?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

The leader considered him for a moment, sitting motionless like a statue. Part of Tallfeather wondered if she had practiced sitting like that, just to make others feel uneasy around her. He respected his leader of course, but there was something cold about her that unsettled him. _She must have seen some terrible things during her previous lives._ Only a cat that had died six times – as Tallfeather knew was the case with Rainstar – could have such a hard stare. Then she blinked. "I wanted to talk to you about Thorncloud," she said.

Dread creeped up his spine, but he made sure to give nothing away in his face. "What about her?" he asked.

Rainstar got to her paws, and began circling the clearing. Tallfeather suddenly felt like an apprentice again, being assessed by Poppytail. The leader looked deep in thought, as if considering her words carefully.

Finally, she stopped about a tail-length away from him. "It's my job to keep an eye on everything that goes on in my clan, Tallfeather," she said. "I hope you realize that nothing escapes my notice."

The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he was sure that he wasn't able to disguise the panic in his eyes. "I'm not sure what you mean, Rainstar," he said.

The leader stared him down, unblinking. "It didn't escape my notice that Thorncloud spent the night here after the last Gathering," she murmured. "And I know it wasn't because she was nursing any injuries."

Tallfeather swallowed. "Rainstar, I–"

"You know as well as I do that medicine cats cannot have mates," the leader interrupted. "I don't suspect any other cat knows yet. I would encourage you _strongly_ to stop whatever relationship you have with Thorncloud. StarClan will not forgive you if you break the vow you made when you became a medicine cat."

Tallfeather hung his head. "It was a lapse in judgment, Rainstar," he said. "I–I promise I won't be so foolish again. I respect my position in the clan too much to jeopardize it."

"Have StarClan spoken with you lately?" Rainstar asked.

He shook his head. "Not for a while now."

"That should be indication enough that you've overstepped," she said. "I hope you truly have come to your senses. The clan needs you more than Thorncloud does, now more than ever."

"Yes, Rainstar."

The leader eyed him for a moment. Once she seemed to decide that he was serious, she nodded and padded wordlessly out of the den.

The clearing felt even larger as Tallfeather sat there. He was a large cat physically, but he had never felt so small. He turned his muzzle to the sky, and pretended he was looking at Silverpelt rather than the woven roof of the den. "Forgive me, StarClan," he murmured.

It _had_ begun to worry him, the last time he visited the Moonstone, that he had not shared tongues with his warrior ancestors. It had happened before; the trip was not always a lively one, but at such an important and confusing time for the clans, he felt as if he should have heard _something_ from the ancient warriors.

Was this really their way of disapproval for his behaviour? He shivered, guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders. He had cared for Thorncloud for so long that he had let himself give into the feelings when he found that she felt the same. But he could no longer reciprocate her feelings. He was a medicine cat, chosen by StarClan. That meant more to him than anything.

Resigning himself to a cold, lonely life, he shook his head as if shaking away the last of his feelings, and left the den.

He headed to the apprentices' den, and spotted Owlpaw practicing a fighting move on Twigpaw. He watched for a moment, waiting patiently for them to finish.

"Good move!" he praised as Owlpaw managed to trip his brother, leaving Twigpaw's nose pressed into the grass.

"Thanks!" Owlpaw squeaked, eyes widening when he turned to look at the medicine cat.

Twigpaw stood up and shook his muzzle wildly, flinging dirt a fox-length in every direction. "I'll get you back for that!" he threatened Owlpaw.

"Before you seek your revenge, Twigpaw, could I ask one of you to fetch me some new bedding?" Tallfeather asked. "It's about time it was replaced. And any extra moss you can carry would be helpful for my stores, too."

"I'll do it!" Owlpaw exclaimed, jumping up at the opportunity to help.

"No, I want to do it!" Twigpaw whined, shoving his brother with his shoulder.

"You can both do it," said Berryleaf, and Tallfeather looked over his shoulder to see the deputy coming towards them. "Grab as much moss as you can, both of you. The elders need new bedding as well."

"Yes, Berryleaf!" Owlpaw said obediently. " _I_ know where to find the comfiest moss in the whole forest."

"No, _I_ do!" Twigpaw said, and both apprentices made a break for the gorse tunnel.

Berryleaf watched them run, shaking his head. Tallfeather suppressed a smile. "Very eager, those two," he murmured.

"They'd be great warriors, if only they weren't so competitive with one another," Berryleaf sighed. "But what else can you expect from Springfoot's kits?"

"All three of them have that same thirst to prove themselves…" Tallfeather thought, his gaze flickering over to Tigerfang, who was in the process of cracking Crowpelt's numerous ticks by the elders' den.

"It's a miracle Thorncloud didn't turn out like that, being raised by Springfoot," Berryleaf commented. Tallfeather tensed, but Berryleaf didn't seem to notice. The black and white deputy yawned widely and turned to leave. "Feel free to use my apprentice for any other tasks," he called, waving his tail in goodbye as he walked.

Tallfeather's paws felt as heavy as badgers as he trudged back to the medicine den. _Maybe my feelings for Thorncloud are a test from StarClan_ , he wondered.

 _If it is, I've already failed._


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 **(Note: Buckle in folks, it's about to get real!)**

The day after witnessing SunClan, the group was well-rested and well-fed. Duskfur had put together a small hunting patrol in the morning, and they had returned with enough fresh-kill to keep everyone's stomachs full. Thorncloud even tried a lizard – and decided it was definitely the worst thing she had ever tasted. She left the slimy thing for Shadepool to finish.

Pebblefoot returned from the hunting patrol with a fish he'd plucked from a mountain stream. He shared it with Thorncloud, and she was pleasantly surprised to find that she enjoyed the taste. There must have been RainClan in her blood after all.

They gathered to discuss their plan of action when the sun was high in the sky. Thorncloud gingerly rubbed her sore pads on a dock leaf as she listened; she'd asked Pebblefoot to collect some if he saw it while hunting, and he hadn't disappointed.

"I think we should stay for a few days," Copperfur was saying. "We can watch them, figure out how their clan works, and then figure out an attack plan from there."

"It's too risky," Flameclaw said. "We're sitting ducks here. If they see us, we'll be fresh-kill."

"I think we should return home and tell our clans," Duskfur said. "There's nothing that we can do against their forces. The faster we get back, the more time we have to lead a proper attack with more warriors."

"We can't return with half of the story," Pebblefoot said.

"I agree," said Bumblestripe. "We need to know more about them first. I want to know how he's getting so many cats to join, and if they're actually a threat. Those kittypets could be useless for all we know."

"Plus there's the matter of what StarClan thinks," Thorncloud chimed in. Eyes turned to her. She tried her best not to shrink under their questioning looks. She had done too much of that lately. _Speak with confidence_ , she told herself, and forced herself to straighten up. "I mean, if Sunstar has actually been accepted by StarClan or not. The clans will want to know if we're going up against a leader with one life or nine."

Pebblefoot nodded in agreement. "A very fine point," he said. "But Duskfur is also right; we can't go up against them."

Bumblestripe looked at his clanmate. "Do you think… we could _talk_ to Sunstar?" he asked.

"What?" Several cats said the word at once. Thorncloud shook her head. "Do you think a cat who's been exiled from his clan wants to talk to the very cats who sent him away?" she asked.

"Clans sometimes visit one another for special occasions," Copperfur said, his eyes flickering to Thorncloud. She narrowed her eyes at him. "If you think of it like we're respectfully approaching him to speak, clan to clan, maybe he would accept."

"I don't know," Flameclaw said uneasily. "It sounds risky to me."

"If he wants to be treated like SunClan will be a fifth clan, he should be at least open to talking to the other cats," Duskfur murmured.

"Think about it – worst case scenario, he says no," Bumblestripe said. "If he attacks us, we attack back. We could do it at sunset, when the dusk patrol is out. That way there'll be less cats against us."

"That might actually work," Pebblefoot said. "Let's say three cats go out on patrol. Three of SunClan are barely apprentices, so they won't be hard to get around. That leaves nine cats against us."

"Almost one for one," Ebonystreak said. "I like those odds!"

"Okay, we'll do that, then," Duskfur said. "First, we approach to talk. If that backfires… we'll fight."

As planned, they waited until the sun began to set. Ebonystreak and Copperfur found an inconspicuous place to spy on the SunClan camp, waiting for the dusk patrol to leave. The other scattered among the rocks, in small groups, to wait for the word to get into place.

Thorncloud paced back and forth nervously. Duskfur had suggested they send only a few cats to speak with Sunstar so that he didn't feel threatened, and have the rest of the group waiting in the shadows for the first sign of trouble. The group would be her, Duskfur, and Pebblefoot. Bumblestripe had wanted to join, but Pebblefoot said the fewer the RainClan cats, the better; one warrior from his ex-clan would be useful, but any more than that may aggravate him and remind him of his exile.

The other two were fine choices – a clan deputy showed authority, and made it more believable that they wanted to talk civilly – and an experienced warrior from RainClan that Sunstar recognized would benefit them, too. But why Thorncloud was chosen, she couldn't be certain. Pebblefoot and Duskfur had been speaking, their heads lowered, glancing over at her every few moments. When they finally approached, Duskfur said that her diplomacy would be useful in the encounter with the SunClan leader. By the look in Pebblefoot's eye, she suspected it had been his idea.

But now she was more nervous than ever. Bumblestripe watched her as he tore apart a scrawny mouse, still grumpy from being told to stay behind. "Stop pacing," he said. "You're going to wear your claws down to stubs."

"Sorry," Thorncloud said, but she continued her path back and forth. "I just don't know what I'm doing! What if I say the wrong thing?"

"You won't," Bumblestripe assured her. "Let Duskfur do most of the talking. Besides, you always know what to say."

She thought of Tigerfang's proclamation at the river that Thorncloud wasn't her sister. She grimaced. "Not always," she said.

"If it weren't for you, Thorncloud, I might not even be on this mission," he said, making her look up in surprise. "When we met at Fourtrees, you convinced me pretty easily that we had to meet again and talk about the prophecy. You even managed to tame Cloudstorm." His whiskers twitched with amusement. "And trust me, she's hard to tame. I've tried."

There was a soft look in his eye. Thorncloud smiled. "You like her, don't you?" she asked. "Is she your mate?"

Bumblestripe ducked his head, embarrassed. "N-No," he stammered. "I mean, she's my best friend. I care about her a lot. But, you know… she's a fine cat."

Thorncloud thought of Tallfeather, and she nodded. "I understand."

There was a rustling, and the scrabbling of claws on rock, and then Ebonystreak appeared over a ledge. "The dusk patrol just set out!" she said, her eyes bright with excitement. "Duskfur and Pebblefoot are waiting for you over there." She pointed her tail up the rocky path, and Thorncloud took a deep breath. It was time.

Bumblestripe joined Flameclaw, Copperfur, Shadepool, and Ebonystreak, while Thorncloud padded up beside Duskfur and Pebblefoot. The other five started on their route to circle around; earlier, Shadepool had scouted a good place to wait on the other side of the SunClan camp, where the group could join quickly if the meeting went south.

The rocklands looked like a sea of glowing red, the harsh dusk light casting strange shadows around them. Thorncloud walked behind the two older warriors. Duskfur led them back to the ledge where they had first spied on SunClan, and leapt up. Pebblefoot followed, and then Thorncloud joined them.

Not far off, perched on a rock, the huge yellow tom that Thorncloud had seen the night before noticed them. He immediately jumped down and ran towards them. His muscles rippled under his fur. Thorncloud wouldn't want to meet this cat in battle.

"Who are you?" the tom hissed, dropping into a defensive stance. "Sunstar! We have invaders!"

"We come in peace," Duskfur said evenly. "We wish to speak with your leader."

Thorncloud saw below the Flatrock, Sunstar's lithe form slunk out into the sunset glow. He padded over swiftly, but retained an air of nonchalance. Thorncloud suspected he had been waiting for the moment when clan cats would show up.

"Stand down, Simba," Sunstar said, his eyes lingering on Pebblefoot. "These are forest cats."

Simba bristled, and sat up straight. "Shall I get the other warriors?" he asked.

Thorncloud was unsettled by how quickly the former kittypet had taken to Sunstar's leadership. The golden tom narrowed his eyes. "Get Scorchback and Twitch," he ordered. "Tell them to come to my den."

He turned and flicked his tail at the forest cats. Thorncloud blinked. He was really inviting them into camp, just like that. Duskfur and Pebblefoot mirrored her hesitation, but then Duskfur began to follow Sunstar.

Thorncloud examined the camp as they passed through. It wasn't as big as the SnowClan camp, but it was decently sized. They passed a number of caves – she counted four – and a small fresh-kill pile in a dip in the rock, shaded from the sun by a rocky overhang. There was also a small trickling mountain stream that ended in a shallow pool on one end of the camp, giving them a fresh supply of water.

Lastly they arrived at the Flatrock. It was about two cats tall, and flat on top, and as they rounded the side, Thorncloud saw it was hollowed out inside. Sunstar sat at the mouth of the den. There wasn't enough room for all of them to sit inside, so the forest clan cats sat awkwardly in front of the den before the SunClan leader.

At that moment, two cats rounded the Flatrock to sit on either side of their leader. One was Scorchback, the dark orange and white tom that had once been a cat of RainClan. The other was a strange looking cat that Sunstar had called Twitch. He was skinny, and might've been mistaken for completely hairless at a distance. This close, Thorncloud could see that his skin was covered in a delicate dusting of grey fur. His ears were huge, like a bat's, and his skinny tail looked more rat-like than cat-like. She also couldn't help noticing how long and menacing his claws were.

"I'm surprised," Sunstar said, directing his gaze at Pebblefoot. He looked suspicious. "I thought there would be more of you."

"We've only come to talk," Duskfur said.

"Nobody seemed willing to talk when I was exiled from RainClan," Sunstar spat. He glared at his former clanmate. "Or has Goldenstar asked me to come crawling back?"

Pebblefoot shook his head. "Goldenstar stands by his decision," he said. "What we're here to discuss is what your purpose is here at Highstones."

"Isn't it obvious?" Sunstar asked. "I was forced to leave my home, so I made a new one. Now I'm the leader of SunClan, and they are more loyal to me than RainClan ever was."

Duskfur bristled. "You can't just make a new clan," he said. "There have always been four clans in the forest."

"Things change," Sunstar said. "The forest changes. Like the seasons, night and day, dusk and dawn. The forest is never the same, and this is no different. The rocklands have always been unclaimed. The only difference is now they are not. This affects none of your clans."

"Your scents were found on the other clan territories," Thorncloud said.

He eyed her as if his gaze her made of claws. "That was before we adapted to our environment. Now the rocklands are stable enough for SunClan," said Sunstar.

"It better be," Duskfur muttered.

"Is that your whole purpose, then?" Pebblefoot asked. "Survive here, in the rocklands? What about when clans must travel to Highstones? Are we meant to be attacked by your cats protecting the territory that should belong to StarClan?"

"StarClan?" Sunstar echoed. He glanced around. "Do you see any StarClan cats here? No, Pebblefoot. This is land for the living. StarClan has the skies. SunClan needs the rocks. But no," he continued, "we will not block passage to Highstones. Last half-moon, I encouraged my clan to stay away from Mothermouth, so as not to disturb the medicine cats who travelled there. So you see? All I wanted is to run a clan the way I want. And now I'm doing that."

"You mean to stay completely separate from the four clans?" Thorncloud asked.

Sunstar narrowed his eyes at her. "Of course not. I intend to bring my warriors with me to every Gathering, as the other clans do."

" _What_?" Now Duskfur was seething. "Fourtrees is a sacred space for the four clans! Your clan of rogues and kittypets will not be welcomed there!"

Sunstar turned on the CloudClan deputy, his eyes blazing with rage. "You dare insult my clan?" he asked. Beside him, Scorchback and Twitch hissed. "SunClan may be small, but we will grow just as great as any other clan. Besides, we have the will of StarClan on our side."

Thorncloud heart sunk. "Then… it's true? StarClan has granted you nine lives?"

Now the SunClan leader sat up straight, and lifted his chin towards the stars. "Yes," he said. "I am a _true_ clan leader. With the will of StarClan, none of you can hope to challenge my authority."

Thorncloud's mind was reeling. _If that was true, why did Starflower warn us?_

"We don't wish to challenge you," Pebblefoot said quickly, tapping Duskfur's shoulders with his tail to calm him. "All we wanted to do was understand what your intentions were. Now that we know, we'll leave you in peace."

"Leave?" Sunstar asked. "Oh, Pebblefoot. If only it were that easy. Did you really think I would send you back without a proper message to the forest clans?" He took a step forward. "Make sure you tell Goldenstar, Galestar, and the others that SunClan will _not_ be messed with."

His eyes turned on Thorncloud, and they were glistening with a thirst for blood. "Scorchback, Twitch…" he said. "We mustn't let them think we aren't serious. _Kill the SnowClan warrior_."


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Thorncloud took a step back, but had no more time to react before the two cats were on her. Twitch's long claws sank into her flank, and Scorchback's weight pinned her down. The former RainClan cat's expert claws raked at her, and she felt them snag on her ear. Her own cry of pain mingled with Duskfur's battle cry as somewhere, off to the side, he lunged at Sunstar. She lashed out wildly with unsheathed claws, but Scorchback's fur was in her eyes, and she couldn't see where she was aiming.

Then Scorchback's weight disappeared, and Thorncloud saw Pebblefoot throwing him to the side. She kicked up with her hind legs, and found purchase on Twitch's soft skin; the SunClan warrior hissed and lunged for her throat.

Thorncloud rolled away just in time, and brought her front paw down hard on Twitch's head. The cat's head smacked onto the rock under him and he let out a howl of pain. Giving him a final rake of claws down the side, Thorncloud sent the warrior running. It seemed that the former kittypet still had much to learn about how to fight like a warrior.

Around her, the battle had broken out, the other forest cats having descended on the camp from the shadows. Duskfur was wrestling with Sunstar, while the two former RainClan apprentices Turtlepaw and Eaglepaw were fighting Flameclaw. Even against odds, the seasoned warrior clearly outdid them in experience. Shadepool was grappling with Dawnstrike, while Newt, the ginger SunClan warrior, had Bumblestripe pinned down.

Thorncloud bounded over and bowled the ginger cat over, sending him rolling across the rocks. He hit the rock wall roughly and lay, stunned, as Bumblestripe scrambled to his paws. "Thanks," he panted. Blood dripped from a wound on his shoulder, but he ignored it, and jumped back into the action.

Thorncloud saw Copperfur fighting for dominance over Simba, the huge yellow cat that had been on guard. He was much larger than Copperfur, but Thorncloud suspected that like Twitch, he was not as good a fighter. He kept trying to pin Copperfur down, but Copperfur would use the momentum to his advantage and continue to roll until he had the other tom pinned. Thorncloud turned away – he clearly didn't need help, nor would he probably appreciate it – and rushed to help Ebonystreak, who had two SunClan warriors closing in on her.

Twitch had apparently recovered enough to try attacking the younger warrior, but his side was bleeding badly. He circled Ebonystreak as a long-furred black cat she didn't know the name of pounced. He wrapped his teeth around her tail as Twitch swatted at her muzzle. Thorncloud tackled the black tom, but he didn't release his grip on Ebonystreak's tail. Both cats shrieked in pain as Thorncloud raked her hind claws along his back.

"Let go, you ugly rogue!" she screamed, and dug her claws into his shoulders. The tom snarled and released Ebonystreak. Thorncloud used the moment to bite down on the back of his neck. With a yowl of pain, he struggled out from under her and bolted for one of the caves.

When she turned on Twitch, the hairless cat's wide eyes flickered between her and Ebonystreak, advancing on him at the same time. Deciding he was outnumbered, he turned and bolted.

Ebonystreak turned to Thorncloud. The white fur on her chin was stained red. She gasped. "Your ear, Thorncloud!" she said.

Thorncloud tried not to think of the tearing pain she felt when Scorchback ripped her ear. She winced. It was throbbing, and blood trickled down her face. "I'll deal with it later. You're okay?"

"I'm fine, I–" The CloudClan cat's eyes went as wide as the full moon and she gasped. "Copperfur, watch out!"

Thorncloud whipped around. Simba had Copperfur pinned down, less than a tail-length from the edge of the plateau. The warrior didn't seem to hear, and rolled over, pinning the SunClan cat down. Simba snarled, and kicked wildly with his powerful hind legs. Thorncloud watched in horror as Copperfur went flying – straight for the edge.

Thorncloud ran for him. Time seemed to slow as the SnowClan warrior's front paws gripped the rock, the rest of his body dangling dangerously from the cliffside. Simba was on his paws; Thorncloud realized she would never make it in time.

The SunClan warrior hissed, and brought down his claws hard on the SnowClan warrior's paws/ Copperfur's grip slipped away. A horrified scream ripped through the camp as he plummeted down the rocks.

"Copperfur!" Thorncloud yelled, fear rising in her throat. Simba turned on her, his eyes blazing with the fury of battle. She growled, and prepared to jump on the SunClan warrior, when a bolt of golden fur ran past her.

Sunstar was retreating to the far side of camp. His yellow fur was stained orange as it mixed with blood; whether it was his or another cat's, Thorncloud couldn't be sure. "SunClan! Stand down!" he called. At once, the other cats fell back and went to their leader's side. Simba gave Thorncloud one last hateful look before joining his clan. Sunstar hissed as the motley crew of forest cats came together around Thorncloud.

"SunClan will not forget this," Sunstar threatened.

"Your pathetic excuse for a warrior killed Copperfur!" Thorncloud screamed. She started to move forward, but Bumblestripe bounded forward to block her path. "Move out of the way!"

"The fight's over, Thorncloud!" Bumblestripe hissed.

"I swear by StarClan I'll kill you nine times if I have to!" Thorncloud yelled. "And I know I'll have all of SnowClan behind me!"

Sunstar just laughed. "We'll see," he said. "You all have until sunrise to leave our territory. Any cat left by dawn will be slaughtered where they stand."

Pebblefoot nudged her side gently. "Come on, Thorncloud," he murmured in her ear. "We'll finish this, but not today."

Thorncloud grit her teeth, but nodded. Together, the group of seven cats turned and made their way out of the camp. Some of them were in okay shape, but no one was without injuries. Shadepool was limping, and Duskfur's claw was bleeding heavily where it seemed something had been torn; Pebblefoot's white fur was matted with red, and Bumblestripe had a nasty bite mark on his shoulder. Ebonystreak's tail was bent in a strange way at the end. Thorncloud's own ear was throbbing, and she was sure it was split in two, while Twitch's claw marks burned on her side.

And Copperfur was dead.

Bumblestripe wanted to stop to tend to their wounds, but Flameclaw said that daylight wasn't far enough away to take that risk. "They'll follow our trail to make sure we're gone," Duskfur added, grimly reminding them of their fate if they didn't move quickly enough.

About halfway across the rocky distance to the Thunderpath, Thorncloud stopped suddenly. "Copperfur's body!" she exclaimed.

Pebblefoot stopped at her side. "I'm sorry, Thorncloud. We can't risk retrieving him," he murmured. He looked up at Silverpelt above their heads; it was easy to see here, without the cover of trees. "He's hunting with StarClan now."

Thorncloud nodded, and allowed him to prod her forward. Even though she'd hated Copperfur towards the end, she couldn't help feeling that it was her fault he had died. If she had acted faster, or gone to help him instead of Ebonystreak, or at least sought revenge for his death instead of fleeing….

And maybe if he hadn't died, they would have reconciled their differences one day. Copperfur had always been a noble mentor to her. If one day he had realized his mistake, and apologized for acting the way he had, maybe Thorncloud would have forgiven him. _Maybe_ …

Morning was dawning when they reached the Thunderpath. Both Pebblefoot and Ebonystreak crossed with her to make sure she didn't fall behind. Flameclaw helped Duskfur across, and Bumblestripe let Shadepool lead on him as she limped across. Though only one cat was missing from when they last crossed, the group seemed so much smaller.

Back in CloudClan territory, a sense of peace fell over Thorncloud. Sunstar couldn't hurt them here. They dawdled along the open moorland, exhaustion weighing on them, their injuries making them wince with every pawstep. They had found the information they sought when they ventured into the rocklands, but at a cost.

After a while, Duskfur stopped the group. "CloudClan camp is closer to here than Fourtrees," he said. "I'd rather not limp there and back… if it's alright, we'll depart from you all here."

The cats nodded somberly. Everyone bid their goodbyes; Ebonystreak touched noses with Thorncloud delicately and said, "I'll never forget you helped me in that battle, Thorncloud. Thank you."

"Thank you, too," she murmured. Ebonystreak had been friendly from the start, and Thorncloud had come to like her over the course of the trip. "I'll see you at the next Gathering."

Ebonystreak nodded, and went to Duskfur's side. The two CloudClan cats waved their tails in goodbye and then slipped into a dense field of heather.

The five remaining cats trekked back to Fourtrees in silence. Without any parting words, Flameclaw and Shadepool slipped away towards StormClan territory, saying goodbye with a only a look.

That left Thorncloud with the two RainClan cats. She felt at ease with both of them – Bumblestripe, her secret brother, but also Pebblefoot, who she had liked from the start, but had proven to be a noble friend as well as warrior. How depressing, she thought, that she had more friends _outside_ her clan than _in_.

They led her through RainClan territory. A sense of dread filled Thorncloud has they neared SnowClan territory. She would have to be the sole deliverer of news to SnowClan. Not only would she have to recount the entire journey, but also Copperfur's death, which she hadn't had the chance to mourn. At that moment, padding across the Twoleg bridge in RainClan's territory, all she wanted to do was curl up with Tallfeather and sleep for several moons.

A strong RainClan scent alerted Thorncloud to the presence of a patrol. She edged closer to Pebblefoot, wary of being told off by an enemy warrior. She was nowhere near ready for an argument. To her relief, the patrol was made up of Mottledfur, Scalepaw, and Cloudstorm; three cats she was more than happy to see.

Cloudstorm gasped when she saw them and ran forward to entwine her tail with Bumblestripe. He nuzzled her happily while Mottledfur came forward to greet Pebblefoot. He looked at Thorncloud with concern, his eyes widening at her torn ear. "You three look like you've been to StarClan and back," he said.

"It's a tale to tell back at camp," Pebblefoot said. "First we were going to accompany Thorncloud back to SnowClan territory."

Scalepaw looked around. "Aren't there supposed to be _two_ cats from each clan?" she asked.

Thorncloud lowered her head. "Copperfur didn't make it back," she said.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Cloudstorm whispered.

Mottledfur glanced at Pebblefoot and Bumblestripe, frowning. "You two look dead on your paws. Cloudstorm, Scalepaw, take them back to camp. I'll make sure Thorncloud gets home safe."

She looked up at her father, hoping he could see the gratefulness in her eyes. The other cats seemed too tired to protest, and they turned toward camp. "Goodbye, Thorncloud," Bumblestripe called.

"We'll meet again at the Gathering," Pebblefoot promised. Thorncloud could only nod, and let Mottledfur herd her towards the riverbank.

The silence of the forest was unsettling and peaceful at the same time. Thorncloud sniffed as she thought of her dead clan mate. It had to be a SnowClan cat… not that she wanted the other clans to lose their warriors, but her position in the clan was always changing lately. How would the other cats feel about her once they discovered she had let a more experienced warrior die?

"The stepping stones are quite far," Mottledfur said, breaking the silence. "Would you be able to cross the river here?"

Thorncloud looked up. The water wasn't terribly fast. She nodded glumly. It wouldn't do her any good to draw out the trip back to camp. Better to get it over with.

"I'll help you across if you have trouble," Mottledfur added.

"I can do it myself," Thorncloud said, speaking more harshly than she intended. The RainClan deputy recoiled; she deflated and shook her head. "Sorry. It's been a long journey."

"It's alright," Mottledfur murmured. "I'm sorry about Copperfur. He was a good warrior." He gingerly licked her between the ears, being careful to avoid her torn ear. "I wish there was more I could do to help."

Thorncloud's claws dug into the damp soil. The water bubbled past. "There _is_ more," she said through gritted teeth. The words came spilling out of her like the river that flowed at her paws. "You could give me the chance to have a real family. Copperfur was young and healthy. He could have lived to an old age. Instead he died young. That could happen to any of us, too." She looked up at him defiantly. "You, me, Bumblestripe – we could be a family, but instead you refuse to even _tell_ him…"

"Thorncloud, I–"

"You have no idea what it was like! I went on that mission with him, sharing prey and talking like friends for the first time," she went on, ignoring him. "And the whole time he didn't even know that he was with his _sister_! You have no idea how angry that made me!"

"I do know." Mottledfur stared at her with so much intensity that it made her pause. "I do know, Thorncloud. I spent your whole life watching you across this river, trying to hear any news of you at the Gatherings. I spent so long sneaking around with Starflower, unable to tell people about our love. So I know. I know what it's like to have something just out of reach." He sighed. "But what good would it do to tell Bumblestripe? It would tear him apart."

"It would give him answers," Thorncloud said firmly. "It would stop him from living a lie, thinking Blossomheart is his mother. It's not fair to keep it from him."

She waded into the water without another word, and paddled furiously with her paws. She heard Mottledfur splashing in behind her, and she called, "Don't follow me, I'm _fine!_ " Pulling herself up on the opposite bank, she shook her fur and stared across at Mottledfur. "You might be able to lie, but I can't. If you're not going to tell Bumblestripe… then I won't speak to either of you. I'll live my life here, and you live yours over there. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

She turned and fled, running as fast as she could into the trees, ignoring Mottledfur's calls behind her. Emotion was mounting insider her like water behind a dam, and she felt as if it could burst and overflow at any moment.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

About halfway to the SnowClan camp, Thorncloud finally slowed down, her chest heaving with the effort of running. She could sleep for a moon, she was sure. Picking up a slow trot, she examined her surroundings. She was near the sandy hollow where apprentices normally trained. A grim feeling ate at her insides. _Poor Twigpaw_. First he'd lost Blizzardpelt as a mentor when the old cat retired, and now Copperfur, his replacement mentor, was dead.

She heard voices as she approached the sandy hollow. Peering through the undergrowth, she saw Windheart and Ivypaw practicing a tricky battle move, while Berryleaf sat at the side with his apprentice, Owlpaw. She watched for a moment as the SnowClan deputy muttered commentary into Owlpaw's ear; the apprentice nodded along eagerly.

Windheart lunged at her apprentice, and Ivypaw leapt over her, anticipating the attack, and landed easily on the blue and cream warrior's back. "Great! Now get off," Windheart grunted. Ivypaw bounded to the side, her eyes bright with pride.

Thorncloud emerged into the clearing, rustling a bush loudly to alert the others of her arrival. All four cats looked up. Both apprentices' jaws dropped at the sight of her. She must have looked wild, with a blood-stained coat and a torn ear, not to mention grossly ungroomed.

"Thorncloud!" Windheart exclaimed. She and Berryleaf both rushed to her side. "You're back! But where's Copperfur?"

Thorncloud just shook her head ever so slightly. Windheart rested her tail on Thorncloud's shoulders sympathetically.

"You're hurt," Berryleaf said, snapping into deputy mode. "We have to get you back to camp. Owlpaw, run ahead and tell Tallfeather to prepare – Ivypaw, go alert Rainstar that Thorncloud is back. Say nothing to any other cat."

Both apprentices shot into the trees and disappeared in the direction of camp. Thorncloud was at least grateful that Twigpaw hadn't been here to see that his mentor was absent. "I'm sure you have much to tell the clan," Windheart said, her eyes wide with concern.

"Tallfeather will tend to her first," Berryleaf said. "That ear looks nasty."

"It can't be saved now," Thorncloud muttered. "As long as it doesn't get infected, I don't care. I've got another wound on my flank, too. Sunstar did a number on us."

"Sunstar?" Berryleaf echoed. "Great StarClan, you _do_ have a tale to tell. Let's get you back to camp."

The two warriors flanked her on either side on the way back. She was able to walk fine, but it was nice to have the brush of another cat's fur to keep her company. The sun was rising well into the sky now, and all the clan would be awake. She wasn't sure if she was prepared for their questions.

By the time they herded her through the gorse tunnel, cats were already emerging into the clearing. Despite Berryleaf's orders, it seemed that they already had an idea of what was to come. Eyes fell on her as she padded into the clearing, and filled with sorrow as they realized Copperfur wasn't with her.

Berryleaf went to join Rainstar, who was waiting at the base of the Highrock, as Windheart guided Thorncloud to Tallfeather's den. The medicine cat was carrying herbs into the clearing when they entered, and his eyes widened as he stared at her. "Oh, Thorncloud – you've been through it, haven't you?" he murmured, and beckoned her over with his tail. "Thank you, Windheart; I can take it from here. Go tell the rest of the clan that she'll be ready to speak later."

Thorncloud padded to the centre of the clearing, her eyes somewhat glazed with shock. Now that she was back, the severity of the situation seemed a thousand times worse. Sunstar was out for blood. He hadn't so much as blinked at Copperfur's death, hadn't scolded his warrior for the needless murder. It was such a contrast to the reaction when Tigerfang killed Brookpelt.

Vaguely, she felt Tallfeather's tongue rasping gently along her ear, cleansing the wound. A trickle of blood ran down her head as it reopened, and Tallfeather hissed in frustration. "Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Not so much anymore," Thorncloud whispered.

Tallfeather eyed her curiously. "Something bad happened, I can tell," he said. "Wait here." He went briefly to his stores and returned with a poppy flowerhead. He shook out a few poppy seeds and nudged them towards her. "Here, chew on these. It'll help with the shock. It'll make you tired. If you fall asleep, don't worry. The clan can wait to hear you speak."

She did as instructed. Tallfeather was looking at her in a way she didn't like. _Pity_ , she thought bitterly. She chewed faster, and felt the effects of drowsiness almost immediately. She lay down on the floor of the den, allowing Tallfeather to bustle around her, tending to every wound. Before long, darkness overtook her, and she was happy to let it.

She didn't know how long she slept, but Tallfeather was no longer next to her when she awoke. He was perched on the other end of the clearing, watching her intently. When she lifted her head, he smiled faintly. "Sleep well?" he asked.

Thorncloud nodded. Her wounds stung when she sat up, but she knew that just meant Tallfeather had done his job. "Thank you," she said, examining the pad of her paw. He'd even noticed the cut on her paw and had cleaned it and and applied a poultice to it.

"You can walk on it," Tallfeather said. "The poultice will rub off, but by now enough should have set in. I can always apply more later." He glanced towards the entrance to the den. Thorncloud noted how quiet the camp sounded outside. "It's almost sunset. The clan is getting impatient. If you're ready to speak, I know they're eager to listen."

Thorncloud took a deep breath, then nodded. Tallfeather swept over to her side and guided her out of the den. She noted that he didn't walk close enough for their fur to brush. In the grogginess of just having woken up, she didn't think much of it, but a voice at the back of her mind told her that normally Tallfeather would've gotten as close to her as he could.

Out in the clearing, cats milled around in silence. It seemed that nearly every cat was present. They looked up as she began walking towards the Highrock. Ivypaw and Owlpaw were sharing tongues with a distraught-looking Twigpaw. Tigerfang and Springfoot sat together by the tree stump, and Rosewhisker's three young kits tumbled around play-fighting, blissfully unaware of the shifting mood of the camp.

Berryleaf sat with Rainstar by the base of the Highrock. As Thorncloud approached, Rainstar stood up. "Thorncloud," she greeted. "We're eager to hear how the mission went, but first – is it true that Copperfur is dead?"

Thorncloud could only nod. Cats began to gather around the Highrock. Rainstar's ears flattened slightly. "Copperfur will be missed. We'll hold a vigil for him tonight. But until then," she said, flicking her tail towards the Highrock. "Come, let's recount for the clan what you've discovered at Highstones."

Thorncloud blinked as Rainstar leapt onto the Highrock and called out the summons. Tallfeather nudged her. "She wants you up there," he murmured.

Bewildered at being invited to speak at the Highrock, Thorncloud awkwardly scrambled up to sit next to Rainstar. The old she-cat was looking at her expectantly. Thorncloud could hardly stomach the view from up here; she could see the whole clearing, and all of the eager faces gazing up at her.

"U-Um, hello," she stammered. Her eyes flickered over to Springfoot. She nodded encouragingly. Thorncloud took a deep breath, and began speaking. It took a while to recount every detail. She went over the cats that had been chosen, to which there were murmurs of approval; the discovery that rogues and kittypets were being recruited to Sunstar's new clan, to which there were yowls of anger and gasps of shock; the plan to speak with Sunstar civilly – she saw Rainstar nodding at this; and Sunstar's attempt on her own life when he wanted to threaten the forest clans.

Then came the hardest part of the story. Her voice shook as she told them about the fight. The numbers they were against, the way the rogues fought… and finally, Copperfur's murder. The clan fell silent, rapt with attention.

Thorncloud left out her threat to Sunstar. No cat needed to know about that, and she felt embarrassed at losing her temper. She finished by brushing over their journey back, and SunClan's threats on their back as they ran from the rocklands. When she finished speaking, there was a hush over the camp.

"I wish I could've done more," she finished.

Rainstar's tail came to rest on her shoulders. "You did all you could," she said kindly. "Copperfur's death will not be forgotten. His closest friends will sit vigil for him tonight. You, however, must get some rest. That's an order, Thorncloud," she added as the tortoiseshell warrior opened her jaws to protest. Rainstar turned to the rest of the clan. "We've learned much from Thorncloud's brave tale. I will consider our options going forward. But be assured, StarClan is watching over us."

"But StarClan seems to approve of SunClan, do they not?" Foxtail called from below. "They granted Sunstar nine lives!"

Mutterings of anger erupted from the crowd. Rainstar looked to Tallfeather. "Have StarClan spoken with you about this?" she asked.

"No," Tallfeather answered, bowing his head. "I've heard nothing. But I believe we shouldn't rush to conclusions." He met Thorncloud's eyes. "I have reasons to believe this is not the will of StarClan."

Thorncloud frowned. Was he talking about her dream. His eyes bore into hers, and she suddenly realized what he was trying to tell her. He wanted her to tell the clan about her prophecy. She shook her head slightly, and Tallfeather looked away, disappointed. Guilt made her stomach turn, but she couldn't bring herself to betray Bumblestripe's trust when they had agreed to keep silent.

"Thank you, Tallfeather," Rainstar said. "And you, Thorncloud." She dipped her head to the young warrior. _Ah_. Thorncloud was being dismissed. She bowed respectfully to the leader and jumped down onto the grass, wincing as her wounds twinged painfully. She limped over to Springfoot's side. Her foster mother gave her a few reassuring licks.

"Cats of SnowClan," Rainstar continued. "Even with this new information, we can't act yet. I must discuss this with my deputy, our medicine cat, as well as the other clans. We must act as one force, and I hope the other _three_ clans will agree." She emphasized the number of clans. Yowls of approval rose up. "That being said, there are other duties to attend to. First, the matter of Twigpaw's mentor."

Twigpaw looked up, and slowly padded forward. Rainstar looked down at him with sadness in her eyes. "Twigpaw, you have already had two mentors. You must now be passed on to your third. Stoneclaw, please step forward."

The grey tabby padded forward. Such a ceremony would usually be one of pride, but the warrior looked solemn to take the position of another warrior. "Stoneclaw, you are ready for another apprentice. You will be Twigpaw's new mentor, and I hope you pass on all you know to him," Rainstar recited.

Stoneclaw and Twigpaw lightly touched noses. Thorncloud noted Barktail's kits, Leafkit and Daisykit, watching intently. The kits would be about six moons old now, she realized, and would be having their own apprentice ceremonies within days. Behind them, Tigerfang, still acting as an apprentice, watched with narrowed eyes. It seemed like she looked even less happy than when Thorncloud left.

Not long ago, yet it felt so far away, Tigerfang had been boasting about being given her first apprentice soon. Now, Thorncloud knew that was an impossibility. She was bound to be humiliated if the kit she thought she would be mentoring would soon share a den with her and the other apprentices.

As if sensing that she was being watched, Tigerfang's gaze flickered over to Thorncloud. Thorncloud subtly waved her tail. Tigerfang just stared at her, and turned away, padding towards the apprentices' den as the clan meeting came to an end.

The other cats left Thorncloud alone as she padded back to the warriors' den. Even though she had just woken up, she was ready to sleep again. The idea of staying up to give Copperfur his vigil was tempting, but the exhaustion of telling everyone about the journey had left her feeling hollow inside. Rainstar was right; sleep was what she needed.

As she was settling down in her nest – the moss had been changed since she left, which she silently thanked the apprentices for – Windheart entered with a leaf curled in her jaws. She shook it in front of Thorncloud, and a few more poppy seeds fell out. "Tallfeather said to give you these, to help you sleep," she said.

"Thanks." Thorncloud happily lapped them up, and lay down in her nest. It was far comfier than the past nights she had spent the rocklands, and it didn't take her very long to drift off to sleep.


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

A claw prodded Thorncloud awake. She blinked her eyes open to see a white muzzle surrounded by orange looming over her nest. Foxtail's yellow eyes stared down at her expectantly. "Rainstar wants to speak with you," he said. "She said to send you to her den."

Yawning, Thorncloud pushed herself to her paws. She muttered a thank-you to Foxtail and padded out of the den. It had been a few days since her return. Mostly she had been allowed to rest while Tallfeather tended to her wounds and she caught up on sleep. The wounds on her flank were nearly healed now, but her ear was still torn; Tallfeather hadn't been able to save that. Now she had a neat V-shape from the tip of her ear, thanks to SunClan. Windheart, in an attempt to make her feel better, said it made her look more experienced and dangerous.

Rainstar called her into the den. To Thorncloud's surprise, Berryleaf wasn't with her. The deputy rarely left Rainstar alone these days, now that the clans had to deal with Sunstar. The SnowClan leader hadn't said yet what she was planning to do about SunClan. She was sitting in her nest when Thorncloud pushed through the lichen.

"Come sit." Rainstar gestured vaguely with her tail, and Thorncloud tentatively sat a couple tail-lengths away from her, wondering what this was about. "How are you doing since your return?"

"Fine," Thorncloud said, but the word sounded hollow even to her.

Rainstar gave her a rare look of sympathy. Maybe the old leader was softening with age. "Tallfeather seems to have healed you well. That's good," she said. She shifted where she sat, tucking her paws neatly underneath her. "I wanted to speak with you today about Barktail's kits."

Thorncloud tried to hide her surprise. "Oh?"

"I'd like you to mentor Leafkit," Rainstar said.

Thorncloud had not expected such an offer. "I'm…. honoured, Rainstar," she said, at a loss for words.

Rainstar's whiskers twitched. "You're wondering why I'm choosing such a young warrior," she said, and it wasn't a question. She could see right through Thorncloud. "Quite frankly, we're short on warriors at the moment. I'd like Springfoot to mentor Daisykit, and that only leaves Foxtail without an apprentice. But he's the father of the kits, and I think he'd be too soft on them. I'd mentor Leafkit myself, but…" The old leader hummed in what might have been amusement. "I'm not as young as I once was."

Thorncloud nodded in understanding. If Copperfur hadn't died, Twigpaw wouldn't be Stoneclaw's apprentice, and the experienced warrior likely would have mentored Leafkit. She dipped her head gratefully. "I'd be happy to mentor her," she said.

"Excellent," said Rainstar. "Don't doubt your mentoring abilities, Thorncloud," she added, once again reading her mind. "You're young, but you're very wise. And you did an incredible amount of work on that mission to SunClan's territory. You've earned this."

The praise was too much. Thorncloud's ears flattened, and she winced when her injured ear twinged painfully. "Thank you. But, er, Rainstar… there's one other thing I wanted to talk to you about," she said.

"Yes?"

"It's Tigerfang. I mean, um, Tigerpaw." Thorncloud kneaded the floor awkwardly. "I think she's learned a lot from her punishment. She's been well behaved, and before I left for Highstones, she spoke to me… She was being very mature."

Rainstar was nodding her head. "Stoneclaw thinks it's about time she was reinstated as a warrior, too," she said. She paused. "Yes, I suppose I'll do that tonight, after the apprentice ceremony. Thank you for telling me, Thorncloud."

Thorncloud bowed her head in goodbye, and turned to leave the den. The sun was waiting for her, shining down warmly on the camp. Without realizing where her paws were taking her, she ended up in Tallfeather's den.

"Thorncloud?" The medicine cat was treating Ivypaw for a pulled claw. "Are your wounds bothering you?"

"Er…" She glanced at Ivypaw. She didn't want to say anything in front of the apprentice. Luckily, Ivypaw didn't seem to notice anything amiss. She beamed at Thorncloud. "Thorncloud, Thorncloud! I beat _both_ Twigpaw and Owlpaw in training today! And they're older than me!"

"Congratulations," Thorncloud said, smiling at the young apprentice.

"Sit still," Tallfeather ordered. He was treating her with a bit of comfrey root. After a moment, he stepped back. "Alright, that should do it. It might hurt for a bit, but as long as you don't climb any trees or claw any of your fellow apprentices, it should fix up fairly quickly."

"Thanks, Tallfeather!" Ivypaw stood up and ran from the den, ignoring Tallfeather's parting warning of: "And take it easy!" When she was gone, he shook his head and sighed.

"At least they keep you busy," Thorncloud teased.

"A little too busy," Tallfeather said. He looked at her with concern. "What's the matter? You seem down these past few days."

Thorncloud shrugged. "Tired," she muttered. "I haven't been sleeping well. My mind is all full of SunClan and what they've done."

Tallfeather's gaze softened. "Copperfur's death wasn't your fault," he said.

"I know." Thorncloud padded closer and pressed her nose to his shoulder, wanting nothing more than his company. She closed her eyes and breathed in his comforting scent.

But Tallfeather recoiled, and stepped away. "Thorncloud… we shouldn't."

She blinked up at him. "What do you mean?" she asked.

He wouldn't meet her eyes. "You know as well as I do that we can't keep doing this." Thorncloud's throat tightened. Even if she knew what to say, the words wouldn't have been able to come out. "I'm a medicine cat," he went on, staring at the floor of the den. "I can't have a mate. And I–I care about you, but my duties to SnowClan–and StarClan–are far too important to give up. I'm sorry…."

The wall that had stopped Thorncloud's emotions from spilling over was beginning to crumble. Tears welled in her eyes, and her paws trembled. "But I – I'm not asking to… to have your kits!" she said, unable to help the desperation in her voice. "StarClan can't stop you from serving your clan!" Doubt prickled at her thoughts. "Can they?"

Tallfeather shook his head sadly, and Thorncloud could swear that his eyes were glistening, too. "I don't know," he said softly. "But it doesn't matter. StarClan says medicine cats can't have mates. That's too clear to ignore."

"And that matters to you more than me?"

Tallfeather finally looked at her, a confusing mix of love, loss, and determination in his eyes. "Yes."

Thorncloud's heart fell into her paws. "Well, at least you're honest," she said, her voice strained as her throat tightened uncomfortably.

"Thorncloud, I–"

"No." She turned away. The den felt entirely too small, and she needed fresh air. "I don't need to hear anymore."

She made for the exit, but Tallfeather's voice stopped her. "Rainstar knows." Thorncloud froze. "She spoke to me while you were away." She turned to look at him; he padded closer, looking more desperate than ever. "I might have ignored StarClan's wishes if it weren't for Rainstar. If anybody else found out about us…"

As much as it was like claws against her heart to admit it, Thorncloud understood. That didn't subside the anger, or the hurt that came with his decision. "Fine." The word came out choked. Unable to say anything else, she left the den. Her physical injuries were nothing at his point. Her heart was far more damaged.

Out in the open clearing, Thorncloud wondered if she could get away with leaving camp unnoticed. She caught sight of Barktail grooming her kits, in preparation for the apprentice ceremony. She cursed under her breath; she couldn't leave the camp, for fear of missing the ceremony. Quietly, she slipped over to the elders' den. Blizzardpelt would know what to do.

As she approached, she was relieved to see that the white tom was the only elder inside. He was sound asleep, his chin resting delicately on his greying paws. When she brushed through the den opening, his eyes flickered open, his ears perking up at her pawsteps. "Thorncloud," he murmured sleepily, and raised his head. Then he frowned. "Is everything alright?"

Thorncloud padded into the empty den as Blizzardpelt sat up. She wanted to sit down, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to stay still. She remained standing, her paws shuffling anxiously. "Can I ask you a personal question?" she asked.

Blizzardpelt nodded. "Of course."

"Have you ever been in love?" Understanding warmed his eyes, and slowly, he nodded. "Okay," Thorncloud said. "So… what do you do if you… if maybe you love someone, or you have feelings for them at least, but… they don't want to be with you?"

Blizzardpelt cocked his head to the side. "Thorncloud… is this about Copperfur and the feelings he had for you?"

Thorncloud blinked. "N-No," she stammered, wishing the subject of Copperfur hadn't been brought up. "It's… about my feelings for someone else."

The elder let out a _mrrow_ of amusement. "Thorncloud, it seems you lead a very busy life. I don't know how you have the time for romance among your warrior duties." His eyes twinkled. "I wish I had better advice, but all I can say is you can't force someone to have feelings for you."

"But what if he _does_ have feelings for me, and he… can't." Thorncloud stopped, fearing she'd said too much. A fresh wave of tears sprang to her eyes. She turned away, unable to look Blizzardpelt in the eye.

There was a pause that only lasted a few moments, but it felt like moons to Thorncloud. She glanced back up, and saw that Blizzardpelt was watching her with an expression she couldn't read. "I should hope you're not doing anything to anger our warrior ancestors, Thorncloud," he said flatly.

She blinked at him. "What?"

"I'm old, but I'm not stupid." The elder fixed his gaze on something very far away. "You have so much potential. Don't go breaking the warrior code for something as fleeting as matters of the heart. That is my advice."

He laid down again, turning his face away from her to signal that the conversation was over. Thorncloud stood frozen in place. All at once, it felt as if her entire clan was against her. With the exception of Rainstar, who seemed to have more faith in her as a warrior.

 _Rainstar knows_.

She turned and left the elders' den as calmly as she could muster. Did Rainstar _really_ believe in her warrior abilities, or was she just giving Thorncloud an apprentice to distract her from Tallfeather?

All her life, she had been happy to follow the warrior code, do as she was told, and never doubt the intentions behind her clan mates. Now doubt encircled her, invading every thought. _Was nobody on her side anymore_?

Thorncloud spent the rest of her day avoiding every other cat. The camp suddenly felt a lot smaller, a lot darker. She couldn't help second guessing every warrior. After all, if Blizzardpelt could so easily dismiss her, and Tallfeather could so easily turn her away, could she trust anyone?

It was all "for the sake of the clan". Following the warrior code, following the will of StarClan, following the leader. Wasn't there anything more to life? Was it so easy to turn your back on your loved ones for the sake of the clan?

By the time the apprentice ceremony had arrived, Thorncloud had become subdued, resigning herself to a lonely life in a clan that didn't want her. Part of her knew she was being dramatic – not everyone in the clan was bad – but it was hard to feel welcomed when everyone she had ever been close to was now so far away. She watched numbly as Leafkit and Daisykit were ushered by their mother Barktail into the clearing. The ceremony washed over her; she vaguely remembered Rainstar calling her forward, commending her youthful intelligence and loyalty ( _had the leader chosen that trait specifically to taunt her?_ she wondered). Leafkit became Leafpaw, and touched noses with her. The small apprentice had the dazzle of StarClan in her eyes, as if all her dreams were coming true.

Leafpaw's sister Daisypaw was given to Springfoot to mentor. Thorncloud recognized that she would get to train her apprentice with her foster mother. Normally that might have excited her, but her relationship to Springfoot felt hollow. She knew Springfoot cared more about Tigerfang than her, and why shouldn't she? They weren't even kin, after all. Thorncloud didn't have any kin in SnowClan.

Once the cheering of the apprentices' names died down, Rainstar addressed the clan again. "It's time that Tigerpaw regained her warrior name," she said. "Please step forward."

Tigerfang strode confidently out into the centre of the gathered cats. "Tigerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Pride glistened in the warrior's eyes.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I reinstate your warrior name. From this moment on, you will be known as Tigerfang once again. StarClan honours your energy and determination to prove yourself, and we welcome you back as a full warrior of the clan."

Encouragement rose up from the crowd. "Tigerfang! Tigerfang!" Thorncloud remained quiet, unable to join in with the enthusiasm of her clan mates. Tigerfang had grown, yes, but her words still echoed over and over in Thorncloud's mind.

 _You're not my sister!_

No, she thought, Tigerfang wasn't her kin at all. She didn't trust the tabby warrior anymore. She didn't trust anyone in SnowClan. The only cats she trusted weren't in SnowClan at all; Bumblestripe, her lost brother; Mottledfur, the father she'd wanted her whole life; Pebblefoot, the wise warrior who saved her life; even Scalepaw, the youthful apprentice that had helped her find her father.

And none of them were from her own clan.


End file.
